Issued by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
22 November 2001
Cabinet yesterday approved the much-debated ban on off-road vehicles on beaches, and, in what is considered a tough move to deal with the perennial pollution problem, regulations prohibiting the use of plastic carry-bags were also adopted. Welcoming both as government’s stamp of authority on cleaning up the environment, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Valli Moosa said: "The new restrictions on the use of plastic are the start of a clean-up of our country. I am very encouraged by the overwhelming support this move has received from the public".
The plastic-bag ban
In a statement after the publication of draft regulations in May 2000, Moosa said: "One of the things that starkly represents the perennial nature of dirt in our society is the issue of plastic bags. Plastic bags touch the lives of each and every South African, be they rich or poor. I have remarked in the past that this product is competing with the protea as our national flower in adorning our landscape."
There has been a lot of speculation about what government’s intentions are in this regard. “We would like to see the end of the plastic bag as we know it today. However, it is our intention to phase it out over the next year," Moosa said.
From January 2003, no person may supply carry-bags of a thickness less than 80 micrometers. Any person who contravenes this regulation will be guilty of an offence and liable, on first conviction, to a fine of up to R100 000 and/or one year in jail. A second or subsequent conviction can land the offender in jail for up to 10 years, or cause him/her to be fined up to R100 000.
The minister asserts that the harshness of the penalties demonstrates government's desire to send a very tough message to all and sundry. "We have to roll up our sleeves and clean up our country. These regulations on plastic bags are the start of a broader look at waste management. Simply put, we as a nation have to start to recover a higher percentage of our waste lest we drown in our own garbage." In line with these sentiments, the Department is looking at means for the compulsory recycling of building rubble and tyres.
Related link: Regulations under section 24 of the Environment Conservation Act, No. 73 of 1989
Off-road vehicle regulations
Cabinet also endorsed regulations that prohibit off-road vehicles being used on all beaches.
These regulations do not apply to the use of vehicles:
The regulations allow applications to be made to use vehicles for:
National legislation for controlling off-road vehicles on the coast already exists in the form of a national policy, which was proclaimed in terms of the Environment Conservation Act, No. 73 of 1989, in 1994.
The proposed regulations make provision for severe penalties, including the confiscation of vehicles. Although policing a ban will be difficult, various avenues are available to ensure that this is not an impossible task. One of these will involve promoting public involvement in monitoring the use of our beaches and reporting transgressors.
Welcoming the uncompromising stance supported by Cabinet, Moosa said: "The use of vehicles for recreational purposes on the coast in increasing. This use is increasingly damaging coastal ecosystems and historical sites, and diminishing the quality of the recreational experience of the general public. This diminishes the value of the coast, a vitally important national asset."