Minister of Environment, Forestry & Fisheries Budget Speech, response by IFP, DA & FF+

Minister of Environment, Forestry & Fisheries, Barbara Creecy, gave her Budget Vote Speech on the 23 July 2020

___________________________________________________________________

Honourable House Chair

Our Deputy Minister Ms Makhotso Sotyu;

Honourable Fikile Xasa, and Committee Members

Chairpersons of the Entities reporting to the DEFF;

Acting Director-General Mr Ishaam Abader; and

CEO's of our Public Entities;

Ladies and gentlemen

Last Saturday on Mandela Day, I spent my sixty-seven minutes with the World Wildlife Fund, meeting representatives from fishing communities  in the Overberg Region of the Western Cape.

The representatives spoke of the hardship small-scale fisher men and women face in this difficult industry: including their exclusion from the more profitable aspects of the fish processing value chain through lack of access to affordable loans for tools of trade and investment;  of lives burdened by debt to marketers; and their hunt for viable catch in the face of dwindling wild fish stocks.

By October this year, we hope to issue 15 year fishing rights to small scale fishers in the Western Cape. For the first time in our country's history, this will conclude a Small Scale 15 year Rights Allocation Process to over ten thousand five hundred fisher men and women organised into 110 co-operatives nationwide.

The rights allocation process is a first step to formalising and developing small scale fishers, who even before the Covid 19 Pandemic, faced enormous inequality, insecurity and barriers to economic participation.

And so, Honourable members, we must today ask the question as to how our road to recovery from this pandemic will promote a more sustainable growth path for our people and our country.

One that protects our natural resources, while at the same time confronting the inherent contradictions and constraints to human development, including skewed and exclusive patterns of production and distribution.

At a continental level, as President of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), South Africa convened a virtual meeting of the AMCEN Bureau on 28 May 2020, to discuss a proposed Green Stimulus Programme, which has 12 focus areas and includes a key area on enhancing Climate Action.

The Green Stimulus Recovery Programme will be presented to the African Union with a view to it being incorporated into the overall COVID-19 Recovery Programme for Africa, to ensure our recovery is sustainable and contributes to a Just Transition.

Throughout the world countries and formations as diverse as the European Union, India, Canada, Rwanda, Gabon, China, and Japan are recognising that what the World Economic Forum terms a "nature positive future", can unlock enormous potential and investment opportunities for both developed and developing countries.

A nature positive future can enable economies to recover and to grow; successfully service their national debts; and carry out their governmental responsibilities to citizens. This can be done in a way that sustains both the natural environment and human health and well-being.

For South Africa, embracing a nature positive future as part of our overall economic recovery would have four advantages.  First and foremost it will have a positive impact on job creation in new industries which offer potential for the creation of new enterprises using new technologies.

Secondly, dedicated international "green funds" offer an investment source for these new industries. Thirdly, green bonds have been shown to be cheaper than traditional vanilla bonds and finally, investment in green and sustainable solutions offers us opportunities to promote our long term economic competitiveness and climate resilience.

And as our government develops our medium term recovery plan, attention must be focused immediately on stabilising sectors hard hit by the pandemic. In our space this includes particularly nature based tourism, the oceans economy, and the circular economy.

The revised budget and plans we table for consideration today, represent our Department's response to the difficult choices that confront us in stabilising our sector and opening possibilities for future growth.  Allow me to explain.

Firstly, our Department received a net budget loss of 8.6%, amounting to a budget cut of R766 million. This money we surrendered as part of our collective contribution to the national COVID-19 response plan and to the post-lockdown economic recovery initiatives.

To ensure the budget cut had a minimal effect on our programmes, we effected savings on advertorials, domestic and international travel, public meetings, stakeholder consultation and events, most of which are no longer possible under current conditions.

Our four Entities: Sanparks, Sanbi, Isimangaliso and the Weather Service, all of which have a good record of revenue generation and financial self-sustainablity, are unable to realise their usual income streams.

In the first quarter or this financial year, our "Working For" programmes were not able to operate due to lockdown conditions. By cutting back on now unachievable targets in this programme, we have been able to transfer R39 million to the Isimangaliso Wetland Park Authority and R961million to Sanparks.

In doing this we have ensured the sustainability of our protected areas and the significant role they play in supporting our country's mega-biodiversity. We have also ensured the future sustainability of our contribution to nature based tourism and its longer term employment potential.

To further secure the financial viability of our four entities we have taken the following decisions:

·        Capital spending in all four entities has been postponed while we look for alternative funding sources through the agency of the Presidential Sustainable Infrastructure Development Programme (SIDS).  In total twenty-nine projects have been submitted for project preparation.

·        Budgets initially earmarked for capital spending have been shifted to prevent job losses and ensure we have the human resources to continue with the valuable work performed by these entities, including anti-poaching and ranger services, wildlife management; the day to day running of our botanical gardens and the Tshwane Zoo; weather prediction services which remain essential for shipping and aviation purposes; and the extensive programmes of scientific research co-ordinated by SANBI.

Our national parks are not the only conservation formations facing distress during these times. Our provincial parks also face revenue shortfalls and tough choices.

To assist in this regard, all Members of the Provincial Executive Councils have agreed that the recommendations of a 2012 study entitled "Review of Institutional Arrangements for Management of Protected Areas" must be revisited. Work is currently underway to review these recommendations for consideration over the coming year.

Several non-governmental organisations in the conservation space are also facing financial distress due to cessation of international visitors who provided the lifeblood of their projects.

As a result, conservation authorities across the continent are facing severe funding constraints that will over time impact negatively on their operations, efforts to protect species and ecosystems, and on the lives of rural communities dependent on revenues and jobs from protected area estates.

In response to this situation I have taken a two-pronged approach informed by South Africa's current position as the President  of AMCEN and the important role that the biodiversity economy plays in the country's development plan.

Firstly, I have established a Ministerial Task Team on resource mobilisation for conservation COVID-19 responses, comprising experts from diverse backgrounds to consider innovative approaches to sustainable funding for the conservation sector. The task team will also identify potential funding sources that could be mobilised.

Initial work is focusing on an emergency response, but with the view to longer term sustainable funding mechanisms and models.  Diverse investment sources are being considered, including innovative financing solutions, debt-for-nature swaps, grants, and impact investments.

The second initiative is one our Department is working on together with the IUCN, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust. We have established a number of working groups to make recommendations on how we support the post Covid Recovery of the Biodiversity and Conservation sector and build our nature positive future.

While this work is still at an early stage, future success will require much greater co-ordination between government and non-governmental sectors.  Together we will have to rethink how we co-operate to restore ecosystem services, protect strategic water sources and develop green infrastructure.

It will require us to rethink the form and nature of our current Environmental Programmes and how we will share resources we mobilise from both domestic and international sources.

Despite budget cuts and a late start to our expanded public works programme, we still aim to create 16 315 work opportunities this year. We will ensure that 60% of the people who benefit from the implementation of our programmes are women, 65% are young people, and 2% percent are people with disabilities.

Honourable members, this year the Paris Agreement that falls under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) comes fully into force. Our country is a signatory to the Paris Agreement and together with other signatories, we are reviewing our contributions to reducing emissions and building our resilience to the impacts of climate change, through our Nationally Determined Contributions—or NDCs. We aim to commence with the public participation process on South Africa's Nationally Determined Contributions, while adhering to the Covid 19 lockdown regulations in September.

Work also continues on our Climate Change Bill with processes in Nedlac hopefully reaching conclusion in August, so we can still submit to this House before the end of the current financial year.

To fast-track the development of renewable energy projects in line with the Integrated Resource Plan, our Department last week called for public comment on three more Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZ) namely Emalahleni in Mpumalanga, Klerksdorp in North West and Beaufort West in the Western Cape. This will bring to eleven the number of REDZ in the country.

The declaration of Emalahleni and Klerksdorp officially earmarks these coal and gold towns as regions in which large-scale solar photo voltaic (PV) facilities could be deployed.

The REDZ represent priority areas for investment in the electricity grid, regarded as an enabler of higher levels of renewable penetration in our country. Projects located within the boundaries of the REDZ are beneficiaries of streamlined environmental authorisation processes.

Honourable Members, waste recycling and the transition to a circular economy is an area where our Department must speedily and  dramatically upscale its interventions to create jobs, formalise micro waste recovery enterprises, divert waste from landfills and the environment and improve the overall system of waste management.

In this regard I am happy to share with this house today that the waste tyre management plan and the extended producer responsibility plans, for sectors including paper and packaging, lighting and e-waste, have been published for public comment and will soon be gazetted.  These plans have been developed under sections 29 and 18 of the Waste Act respectively.

As I conclude allow me to return to the Blue Economy. The South African fishing sector remains a significant contributor to food security and the economy. Stabilising the sub-sector through the allocation of longer-term fishing rights is critical to attracting investment into the industry.

To this end, in 2019, the Cabinet extended the timeline for dealing with the fishing rights allocation process (FRAP). The revised period for the commencement of the 2020/21 FRAP process for the granting of commercial fishing rights was published on the 26th June 2020 for comments. We have revised our project plan to meet the new deliverables and timeframes. 

Of crucial importance at this point in time is to stabilise our Aquaculture sector and the 4 875 jobs it currently sustains. In this regard we are finalising consultations on the Aquaculture Bill so that we provide policy certainty without over-regulation. We hope to bring this Bill to the house next year.

Securing sustainable markets for our aquaculture products remains of crucial importance at this time when Asian markets have been disrupted by the Covid 19 pandemic and SA producers face competition from cheap imports. Our team is currently working with the DTI and the industry to identify and secure new international and domestic markets.

Securing the safety of our domestic fish stocks is a central requirement for a sustainable fishing industry.  High quality scientific information to inform management decisions is the cornerstone of sound fisheries management. Under tight resource constraints the department must rebuild this capacity in partnership with other branches, the industry and tertiary institutions.  This year we will deploy 300 catch data monitors across the four coastal provinces to record catch information.

Under the auspices of Phakisa Initiative 5, we have, together with other law enforcement authorities, focused on preventing illegal harvesting of marine resources. To date total confiscations of illegal catch have amounted to more than R13 million.

To ensure more permanent deployment of security personnel, the next step is to undertake a marine and coastal sectoral threat, risk and opportunity analysis to inform where we should focus at a strategic and operational level.

Allow me to thank our Deputy Minister Ms Makhotso Sotyu, our Acting Director General Mr Ishaam Abader and team Environment Forestry and Fisheries as well as the CEOs of our Entities for all their support and hard work over the past year.

My appreciation goes to Honourable Fikile Xasa and members of the Portfolio Committee for their oversight role and for ensuring we remain accountable in the public domain for all we do.

I also take this opportunity to thank the many non-governmental organisations and individuals who dedicate their time and efforts to the sustainable management of our environment and our natural resource base. Your passion and commitment inspires us each and every day.

I thank you

____________________________________________________________________________________

Deputy Minister Makhotso Sotyu: Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Dept Annual Performance Plan 2020/21

23 Jul 2020

Address by the Deputy Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Honourable Ms. Makhotso Sotyu (MP), during the budget plenary on the revised department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries’ Annual Performance Plan 2020/21

Chairperson of the House,
Honourable Minister, Ms B. Creecy,
Chairperson of the Portfolio, Mr. F Xasa,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
The Top Management of DEFF,
All the CEOs of the DEFF Entities,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 House Chairperson,

Covid-19 has presented a number of challenges to all South Africans, and to the entire world. Although the pandemic has placed additional pressure on our economy and forced us to reprioritise to meet the needs of our people, it has held some hidden success for the environment.

 Factories closed and there were less cars on the roads for a limited period during Alert Level Five of the National Lockdown.

 The reduction in vehicle emission, smoke and pollutants from industries, saw an improvement in our ambient air quality and thus a reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions, which is important in meeting our international obligations on climate change.

 Honourable Members, 

We are grateful for these hidden positives, because South Africa is naturally, a country of climatic extremes.

 Large parts of our country continue to suffer the effects of the most devastating drought in years.  Other parts have experienced, and are still experiencing destructive floods. 

 Severe weather conditions are increasing, resulting not only in the destruction of infrastructure, but more worryingly in the reduction of food security.  

 Without food and water, we are unable to sustain growing populations. 

Climate change plays only a part in the problems we are experiencing. 

A key area is the health of our soil. It is well-known that community-managed land could generate billions of Rands worth of ecosystem benefits in South Africa through, for example, reduced pollution, clean water and erosion control.

It adds that investment in avoiding land degradation and restoring degraded land makes sound economic sense and the benefits generally far exceed the costs.

As a country, we have managed to secure more than 3,6 million USD through the Global Environment Facility’s Fund for the implementation of a project to address desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought in grazing lands in Limpopo and the Northern Cape.

Globally, negotiations are underway to discuss possible options for addressing drought under the United National Convention to Combat Desertification.  

We hope that once an Intergovernmental Working Group on effective policy and implementation for addressing drought concludes its work, we will have a solution, or guidance, on how to tackle drought issues at all levels. 

Honourable Members,

Among the key areas that can contribute significantly to green economic growth, is waste. 

The Department has over the years supported municipalities to manage their waste.  Studies on the challenges facing municipalities in this area have shown that there are many issues to be addressed.

For instance, issues of capacity limitations, lack of knowledge of the Waste Act and its imperatives, resource allocation, inefficiencies specifically in relation to tariff setting and costing of waste services, waste services backlogs, inadequate planning and the general low priority allocated to waste management, need to be urgently addressed.

To address this, the Department has placed 44 Local Government Support officials in all the district municipalities in South Africa to ensure effective waste management services for all citizens.

Municipalities are also being assisted with the development of Integrated Waste Management Plans.

Good Green Deeds campaigns encourage households and communities to reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose their waste.

Furthermore, our Department, in collaboration with the Department of Cooperative Government and the National Treasury, has promulgated a landmark policy on the use of Municipal Infrastructure Grant for funding specialised waste vehicles.

Municipalities that have been struggling with waste collection due to fleet aging, low revenue and other reasons, will thus be able to procure waste collection and other specialised vehicles through this Municipal Infrastructure Grant.

The above efforts will ensure that the marginalised communities have access to waste management services that they would have otherwise not afforded.

This financial year will see the training of a further 100 municipal officials and councillors on various aspects of waste management. 

We are also in the process of compiling key waste infrastructure projects for the Presidential SIDS programme.

In these challenging times of COVID-19, the Department is collaborating with a number of partners to provide a coordinated waste management response to the pandemic.

We are participating in the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Covid-19 response platform that seeks to provide support to communities so as to cope with the impacts of the pandemic.

Through this platform, support to those that work in the waste management space, including waste pickers, can be coordinated.  This includes the donation of food, PPE and provision of financial stipends.

We are also working with municipalities and provinces to compile a list of waste pickers who will benefit from this support.

Additional work is being done with municipalities by the Department and UNEP to enable them to deal with the new waste stream that has emerged as a result of Covid-19. 

This is the management of face masks, disposable hazmat suits, plastic gloves and related materials being used and discarded by doctors, nurses, other medical professionals and members of the public. 

We need to ensure that this waste does not end up clogging our rivers and oceans, or contribute to increased litter as we work to keep our environment safe and healthy.

Chairperson,

Because of South Africa’s rich and unique biodiversity, protection of our environment is of the utmost importance. 

This is an area that holds enormous wealth in terms of jobs and economic development.

It is the source for the development of the Biodiversity Economy.

This is an area of development that will not only increase equality in the wildlife sector.

It will also increase the share of traditional knowledge holders in the use, both domestically and internationally, of plant-based products used by communities for generations.

Within the region, the co-existence of humans and nature this year is being celebrated in the first Trans-frontier Conservation Area established 20 years ago.  

For instance, the establishment of the Kgalagadi Trans-frontier Park was an epoch-making milestone for conservation and eco-tourism in the region. 

The historical bilateral agreement signed 20 years ago between South Africa and Botswana established the only Trans-frontier Park that is open in the true sense of the word for tourism movement.

Similar to the wildlife found in the desert landscape, tourists can move freely across the international border within the boundaries of the park as there are no physical barriers.

The Trans-Frontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) are one of the greatest conservation success stories within SADC. 

These areas guarantee the long-term conservation of valuable wildlife resources in the region.

Chairperson

Rapid urbanisation and the movement of people from rural to urban areas is placing greater pressure on existing infrastructure. 

One of the areas presently meeting some of our needs is the Expanded Public Works Programme’s Working for Fire initiatives.  

These include Working for Land so ensure sustainable land management, Working for Water which aims to secure strategic water resources through the removal of alien and invasive species and Working for Wetlands directed at ensuring nature’s natural water filters are fully restored.

Another key area is the protection of our forests; areas vital for sustainable development.

These renewable natural resources are crucial for tackling issues such as poverty, food security, climate change, biodiversity, sustainable production and consumption, and social inclusion.

Particularly, the needs of our most vulnerable people will be met, in the process ensuring their well-being.

Through Plantation Forestry and the Forestry Stewardship Council we will be able to enhance on the existing natural forests and woodlands in our country.  

Of the 1. 2million hectares of plantations, some are leased by Government to private companies, and 3.7% of these are owned by small growers.

Forests contribution is around 10% of the agricultural GDP.

Three years ago, many people lost their homes, businesses were destroyed, more than 10 000 people were displaced, and thousands of hectares of indigenous forest was destroyed in a wildfire that ripped through Knysna and surrounding areas.

This wildfire could have been worse had it not been for the ongoing clearing of invasive species by the Working for Water programme in the area for 22 years prior to the disaster.

We are well aware of concerns around management of state forestry in the Southern Cape. 

Although we only formally assumed responsibility for these areas on 1 April 2020, public concern has led to the Department employing 89 workers to assist with fire prevention measures on the state-owned plantations.

The Working on Fire teams have prepared strategic fire breaks in the area.  Similar operations are underway in other forestry areas across the country.  

Our water and alien species removal teams are also working to remove plants that could contribute either to further forest destruction, or runaway fires.

In the same vein, the Green Scorpions and the Department’s Biosecurity Unit are assessing illegal invasive plant species on land, particularly the Knysna area where there has been substantial regrowth of alien species.

These teams are also advising landowners about their legal responsibilities to clear their land.  Should landowners fail to implement a prioritised plan to clear the plants, directives compelling them to do so may then be issued.

Chairperson,

Earlier this year 120 young people graduated through our Forestry Support Programme to become Working on Fire firefighters and Forestry Project graduates.

Without interventions like the Forestry Support programme, our department and government face a very real threat of unwanted wildland fires destroying our property and spreading destruction to neighbouring land, including communities who live in these areas.

Moreover, there has been extensive damage to infrastructure as a result of vandalism in these forests.

It is really sad and regrettable that we now need to also counter these destructive tendencies among some in our communities by physically occupying and looking over our infrastructure in our forests.

These are some of the challenges we face as these forests are transferred back to DEFF from those who operated them over the recent past.

We all know the stark reality of unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, in our society today.

I appeal to our youth to apply for, and participate in skills-based training programmes being offered by Government, so that they can be either be employed, or create their own small businesses, as we grow our economy.

I also want to confirm the critical importance of women as front-fighters against our changing climate. 

Women’s role is also more important today than ever, as they are the backbone of development, particularly in our rural areas and informal economy. 

These gallant partners in Africa’s development contribute significantly to the growth of our national economy and require support so they can continue to contribute to a new and improved South African economy as we emerge from the devastation of Covid-19.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Honourable Minister for her leadership in the environment, forestry and fisheries sectors since taking office just over a year ago.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Department’s former Director-General, Ms Nosipho Ngcaba, who retired almost two months ago, and the Acting Director-General, Mr Ishaam Abader, and the entire team at the Department for your support in the past year. 

I thank you all.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES, HONOURABLE MS. MAKHOTSO SOTYU (MP), DURING THE BUDGET PLENARY ON THE REVISED DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES' ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN 2020/21.

 

23rd July 2020

 

Chairperson of the House,

Honourable Minister, Ms B. Creecy,

Chairperson of the Portfolio, Mr. F Xasa,

Honourable Members of Parliament,

The Top Management of DEFF,

All the CEOs of the DEFF Entities,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

 

House Chairperson,

Covid-19 has presented a number of challenges to all South Africans, and to the entire world. Although the pandemic has placed additional pressure on our economy and forced us to reprioritise to meet the needs of our people, it has held some hidden success for the environment.

 

Factories closed and there were less cars on the roads for a limited period during Alert Level Five of the National Lockdown.

 

The reduction in vehicle emission, smoke and pollutants from industries, saw an improvement in our ambient air quality and thus a reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions, which is important in meeting our international obligations on climate change.

 

Honourable Members, 

We are grateful for these hidden positives, because South Africa is naturally, a country of climatic extremes.

 

Large parts of our country continue to suffer the effects of the most devastating drought in years.  Other parts have experienced, and are still experiencing destructive floods. 

 

Severe weather conditions are increasing, resulting not only in the destruction of infrastructure, but more worryingly in the reduction of food security.  

 

Without food and water, we are unable to sustain growing populations. 

 

Climate change plays only a part in the problems we are experiencing. 

A key area is the health of our soil. It is well-known that community-managed land could generate billions of Rands worth of ecosystem benefits in South Africa through, for example, reduced pollution, clean water and erosion control.

 

It adds that investment in avoiding land degradation and restoring degraded land makes sound economic sense and the benefits generally far exceed the costs.

 

As a country, we have managed to secure more than 3,6 million USD through the Global Environment Facility's Fund for the implementation of a project to address desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought in grazing lands in Limpopo and the Northern Cape.

 

Globally, negotiations are underway to discuss possible options for addressing drought under the United National Convention to Combat Desertification.  

 

We hope that once an Intergovernmental Working Group on effective policy and implementation for addressing drought concludes its work, we will have a solution, or guidance, on how to tackle drought issues at all levels. 

 

Honourable Members,

Among the key areas that can contribute significantly to green economic growth, is waste. 

 

The Department has over the years supported municipalities to manage their waste.  Studies on the challenges facing municipalities in this area have shown that there are many issues to be addressed.

 

For instance, issues of capacity limitations, lack of knowledge of the Waste Act and its imperatives, resource allocation, inefficiencies specifically in relation to tariff setting and costing of waste services, waste services backlogs, inadequate planning and the general low priority allocated to waste management, need to be urgently addressed.

 

To address this, the Department has placed 44 Local Government Support officials in all the district municipalities in South Africa to ensure effective waste management services for all citizens.

 

Municipalities are also being assisted with the development of Integrated Waste Management Plans.

 

Good Green Deeds campaigns encourage households and communities to reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose their waste.

 

Furthermore, our Department, in collaboration with the Department of Cooperative Government and the National Treasury, has promulgated a landmark policy on the use of Municipal Infrastructure Grant for funding specialised waste vehicles.

 

Municipalities that have been struggling with waste collection due to fleet aging, low revenue and other reasons, will thus be able to procure waste collection and other specialised vehicles through this Municipal Infrastructure Grant.

 

The above efforts will ensure that the marginalised communities have access to waste management services that they would have otherwise not afforded.

This financial year will see the training of a further 100 municipal officials and councillors on various aspects of waste management. 

 

We are also in the process of compiling key waste infrastructure projects for the Presidential SIDS programme.

 

In these challenging times of COVID-19, the Department is collaborating with a number of partners to provide a coordinated waste management response to the pandemic.

 

We are participating in the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Covid-19 response platform that seeks to provide support to communities so as to cope with the impacts of the pandemic.

 

Through this platform, support to those that work in the waste management space, including waste pickers, can be coordinated.  This includes the donation of food, PPE and provision of financial stipends.

 

We are also working with municipalities and provinces to compile a list of waste pickers who will benefit from this support.

 

Additional work is being done with municipalities by the Department and UNEP to enable them to deal with the new waste stream that has emerged as a result of Covid-19. 

 

This is the management of face masks, disposable hazmat suits, plastic gloves and related materials being used and discarded by doctors, nurses, other medical professionals and members of the public. 

We need to ensure that this waste does not end up clogging our rivers and oceans, or contribute to increased litter as we work to keep our environment safe and healthy.

 

Chairperson,

Because of South Africa's rich and unique biodiversity, protection of our environment is of the utmost importance. 

 

This is an area that holds enormous wealth in terms of jobs and economic development.

 

It is the source for the development of the Biodiversity Economy.

 

This is an area of development that will not only increase equality in the wildlife sector.

 

It will also increase the share of traditional knowledge holders in the use, both domestically and internationally, of plant-based products used by communities for generations.

 

Within the region, the co-existence of humans and nature this year is being celebrated in the first Trans-frontier Conservation Area established 20 years ago.  

 

For instance, the establishment of the Kgalagadi Trans-frontier Park was an epoch-making milestone for conservation and eco-tourism in the region. 

 

The historical bilateral agreement signed 20 years ago between South Africa and Botswana established the only Trans-frontier Park that is open in the true sense of the word for tourism movement.

 

Similar to the wildlife found in the desert landscape, tourists can move freely across the international border within the boundaries of the park as there are no physical barriers.

 

The Trans-Frontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) are one of the greatest conservation success stories within SADC. 

 

These areas guarantee the long-term conservation of valuable wildlife resources in the region.

 

Chairperson

Rapid urbanisation and the movement of people from rural to urban areas is placing greater pressure on existing infrastructure. 

 

One of the areas presently meeting some of our needs is the Expanded Public Works Programme's Working for Fire initiatives.  

 

These include Working for Land so ensure sustainable land management, Working for Water which aims to secure strategic water resources through the removal of alien and invasive species and Working for Wetlands directed at ensuring nature's natural water filters are fully restored.

 

Another key area is the protection of our forests; areas vital for sustainable development.

 

These renewable natural resources are crucial for tackling issues such as poverty, food security, climate change, biodiversity, sustainable production and consumption, and social inclusion.

 

Particularly, the needs of our most vulnerable people will be met, in the process ensuring their well-being.

 

Through Plantation Forestry and the Forestry Stewardship Council we will be able to enhance on the existing natural forests and woodlands in our country.  

 

Of the 1. 2million hectares of plantations, some are leased by Government to private companies, and 3.7% of these are owned by small growers.

 

Forests contribution is around 10% of the agricultural GDP.

 

Three years ago, many people lost their homes, businesses were destroyed, more than 10 000 people were displaced, and thousands of hectares of indigenous forest was destroyed in a wildfire that ripped through Knysna and surrounding areas.

 

This wildfire could have been worse had it not been for the ongoing clearing of invasive species by the Working for Water programme in the area for 22 years prior to the disaster.

 

We are well aware of concerns around management of state forestry in the Southern Cape. 

 

Although we only formally assumed responsibility for these areas on 1 April 2020, public concern has led to the Department employing 89 workers to assist with fire prevention measures on the state-owned plantations.

 

The Working on Fire teams have prepared strategic fire breaks in the area.  Similar operations are underway in other forestry areas across the country.  

 

Our water and alien species removal teams are also working to remove plants that could contribute either to further forest destruction, or runaway fires.

 

In the same vein, the Green Scorpions and the Department's Biosecurity Unit are assessing illegal invasive plant species on land, particularly the Knysna area where there has been substantial regrowth of alien species.

 

These teams are also advising landowners about their legal responsibilities to clear their land.  Should landowners fail to implement a prioritised plan to clear the plants, directives compelling them to do so may then be issued.

 

Chairperson,

Earlier this year 120 young people graduated through our Forestry Support Programme to become Working on Fire firefighters and Forestry Project graduates.

 

Without interventions like the Forestry Support programme, our department and government face a very real threat of unwanted wildland fires destroying our property and spreading destruction to neighbouring land, including communities who live in these areas.

 

Moreover, there has been extensive damage to infrastructure as a result of vandalism in these forests.

 

It is really sad and regrettable that we now need to also counter these destructive tendencies among some in our communities by physically occupying and looking over our infrastructure in our forests.

 

These are some of the challenges we face as these forests are transferred back to DEFF from those who operated them over the recent past.

 

We all know the stark reality of unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, in our society today.

 

I appeal to our youth to apply for, and participate in skills-based training programmes being offered by Government, so that they can be either be employed, or create their own small businesses, as we grow our economy.

 

I also want to confirm the critical importance of women as front-fighters against our changing climate. 

 

Women's role is also more important today than ever, as they are the backbone of development, particularly in our rural areas and informal economy. 

 

These gallant partners in Africa's development contribute significantly to the growth of our national economy and require support so they can continue to contribute to a new and improved South African economy as we emerge from the devastation of Covid-19.

 

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Honourable Minister for her leadership in the environment, forestry and fisheries sectors since taking office just over a year ago.

 

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Department's former Director-General, Ms Nosipho Ngcaba, who retired almost two months ago, and the Acting Director-General, Mr Ishaam Abader, and the entire team at the Department for your support in the past year. 

 

I thank you all.