SUBMISSION BY MARK RICHARDSON ON NEMA AMENDMENT BILL

Dear Sir/Madam

RE: SOUTH AFRICA IN ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

The government of South Africa needs to support the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) not attempt to change it with the recently proposed Amendment Bill. There are many reasons for this, but all depend on the basic threat to the people of this country from the loss of precious natural resources, leading to loss of food security and income.

It has been clear from the recent State of the Environment report on South Africa that precious natural resources in this country are under dire threat. In a situation like this, the government should be protecting the environment with all means at its disposal - not for the sake of saving the life of a butterfly or rare plant species - but for the simple sake of saving the lives of the people who depend on this environment.

As biodiversity is threatened and more species become endangered or extinct, human beings find themselves without resources to survive. In Namibia, seals have been slaughtered with the reason given by the Namibian government that their seas have been "overfished" and there are no alternatives for the people for sources of food or income. In South Africa, abalone fishermen are saying the same thing. Our resources in this country - whether fish, or indigenous plants that are used for pharmaceutical purposes are quickly disappearing. Where will people turn to for food or income in the future?

One of the main threats to South Africa's natural resources has come from the mining industry where foreign multi-nationals have received beneficial deals on electricity and water supplies in order to build smelters or prospect for minerals. But in the process, the damage to the enviroment has negatively impacted on local communities as water resources, soil for growing vegetables to supplement their diets and the air they breathe has been poisoned by toxic chemicals. The burden of health care in South Africa has increased as families are deprived of breadwinners dying due to illnesses contracted in mines and smelters or the spread of the Aids pandemic due to hostel lifestyles.

It may seem that selling licences to the mining industry for prospecting for oil or minerals is beneficial financially - but unfortunately this is only in the short-term, as in the long-term, South Africa will suffer the loss of natural resources and the income this provides. This country needs to be planning in more sustainable terms and the mining industry has proven, by its lack of accountability to communities in terms of rehabilitating regions or cleaning up once they have created toxic messes, that they cannot be relied upon to keep assurances that they will protect the environment.

In colonnial times, Africa was bought up by foreign powers with the simple motive of profit. Now this motive has been disguised by suggestions that mining etc will "alleviate" poverty. Unfortunately with the exception of a couple of CEOs and BEE figureheads, there is no "alleviation" of poverty and the majority of people remain impoverished and starving due to the decline in food and water resources. Throughout Africa it can be seen that despite foreign multi-nationals "investing" heavily by buying licences to prospect for oil and minerals, the majority of people are starving. Only a few of the elite make any kind of profit from this.

It has been clear from recent reports that safety in mines in South Africa has not been a priority - nor has informing labour of dangers involved in mining or the smelting industry (as in the case of manganism among workers in Kwa-Zulu Natal). Labour in South Africa has been historically regarded as "cheap" since pay to workers does not cover their potential loss of life or compensation for work-related illnesses.

There are more reasons why the South African government should be affirming NEMA rather than attempting to change it. Food security in this country has been threatened by rampant crime, drought, loss of water resources, lack of energy needed to preserve perishable goods or harvest foods. Farming production has decreased and the cost of food has escalated. The majority of poor people in this country are suffering as a consequence. This means that government should be making farming a priority, rather than mining industries. When mining industries are offered fresh water supplies and vast quantities of electricity, all other industries, including farming, tourism and other businesses suffer losses.

Indigenous species, both plant and animal in South Africa need to be protected as valuable assets, as more industrialized nations overseas are attracted to eco-tourism and place a high value on unique animals and plant-life. Many plant species are still being researched and their value to South Africa in economic terms have not yet been calculated. Plants that are being harvested for pharmaceutical uses as a means of income for poorer people need to be sustainably grown and managed so that species will not die out and people will have a market-related source of income.

In terms of sustainable economics, South Africa must make the protection of the environment and enforcement of NEMA a priority. This is in order to safeguard the future of all the people of this country - their health, their need for food, clean water and air and their ability to market this country to all other nations of the world as uniquely beautiful.

Yours sincerely

INGELA RICHARDSON