Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Budget Vote Speech 2022/2023

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Premier of the Western Cape
Provincial Cabinet Colleagues and members of the Legislature
The Head of the Department and the CEO for CapeNature
Ladies and Gentlemen,

General overview of environmental challenges

Thank you for the opportunity today to present the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning budget to the House. Thank you to the management team at the Department for the work in preparing this budget. I believe that this budget is a true reflection of the challenges and opportunities we as a government must address in 2022 and in the near future.

COP26

Speaker, the environment has been placed left right and center of the global political and economic agenda in recent times. At COP 26 in Glasgow last year, the message was very clear: We are causing harm to the environment, and our actions are contributing to climate change.
Speaker, for the first time in our history, real money was also being committed to finance a transition to a greener economy. R130billion was offered to South Africa at COP26 to re-imagine our electricity generation systems.
(Unfortunately, as we stand here today, it is already several months later, and we are still awaiting our national government’s plan on how to approach this matter. I am concerned that we will lose this opportunity due to our uncoordinated and slow ANC National Government.)
 
Global Risk Report

Another important international report, the Global Risk Report, published by the World Economic Forum, states in 2022 that our inability to address environmental issues, is the number one risk for humanity over the next decade.
Climate change and the Western Cape

Speaker, these international reports on environmental matters also affect us directly in the Western Cape. Speaker, no matter what your political affiliation is, the fact of the matter is that if you live in the Western Cape, you will in future have to cope with a hotter and drier climate. Droughts and floods will be more frequent. And these events will be more intense when they happen
Speaker, work done by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning confirm international warnings, and then added to it our local complexities. That is why we have developed a Climate Change Response Strategy, working towards being a net-zero emissions province by 2050.
Overview of reports published by the Department:

Speaker, The State of Environment Outlook Report 2018 makes for sobering reading. It shows that the pressures on our natural systems are unsustainable: more needs to be done to protect critically sensitive or important environmental features, without which the ability of the Western Cape to adapt to impacts from increasing population and climate change is uncertain.

The state of the Western Cape’s land, biodiversity and ecosystem health, inland water, climate change, oceans and coasts, and waste management are either declining or in a state of concern.
Not responding to these declining environmental trends will lead to other key risks: failing to meet provincial sustainability and resilience goals.
 
If the approach to environmental resource management as well as service provision and economic activity does not change, the costs of doing business will increase.
Moving forward, service delivery and economic growth must be resource efficient, low carbon, and enhance societal resilience to find a more balanced approach to using limited resources.

Estuary Management Plans:

Speaker, our Estuary Management Plans has been made available to the public for comment. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, together with CapeNature, is responsible for 29 draft Estuary Management Plans My Department and CapeNature are currently reviewing the comments received and will be able to advance some of the EMPs to finalisation and approval. In some cases, the team have identified the need to undertake additional stakeholder engagement to address critical concerns, with a view to also advancing these to finalisation and approval for implementation.
These plans set out to co-ordinate and manage the various activities and impacts that occur within the estuarine functional zone. For prioritised estuaries, this could ultimately lead to declaring them protected areas or special management areas to protect specific habitat types found in these ecosystems. Such as been the case with the Berg River Estuary, which was recently declared a Ramsar Site under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

Air Quality Plan

It is fitting that the 3rd iteration of our Western Cape Air Quality Management Plan (2021 – 2025) released this year, focus on air quality, air pollution and climate change. We cannot continue to think that “die Kaapse Dokter waai al die besoedeling weg nie.”
 
Our investment of R10million over the past 2 years to upgrade our 12 atmospheric monitoring stations is a good investment, as this allows us to support local municipalities throughout the Province to know in real time what the status of their air quality is, and to assist them in drafting their individual Air Quality Plans.
This work also plays a crucial role in our long-term plans for a greener and sustainable environment, whilst contributing to the implementation of the Western Cape Climate Change Strategy: Vision 2050, which is currently being developed.

Speaker examples of work we do in the field includes our work in the Berg and Breede Rivers. These rivers are arteries of life in our province, and they sustain the economies of entire towns and communities. Alien clearing and pollution awareness campaigns are but two manners in which we promote the protection of these ecosystems. In exchange for our work to protect, nature rewards us with a healthy and safe environment to live and work in.

Organiese afval

Speaker, daar is ook baie geleenthede waar die algemene publiek `n belangrike rol kan speel om ons omgewing te beskerm.
In 2017, the WCG made a policy decision to restrict 50% of organics being sent to landfill by 2022, and the prohibition of all organics to landfill by 2027. The landfill restriction and prohibition on organics will also ensure that national waste diversion targets are met. In the Western Cape, 40% of all waste delivered to landfill is organic waste, estimated at more than 3million tons annually. We want to increase the diversion rates of organic waste from landfills to opportunities that are value adding. Furthermore, all licences issued by the Department have been amended and municipalities are now obligated to submit Organic Waste Diversion Plans.
 
Enforcement, monitoring, and support of environmental legislation

Speaker, I want to thank our Environmental Quality Enforcement Directorate whose officials are our eyes and ears regarding environmental legislation enforcement.
We recently trained 9 Green Scorpions to be qualified drone operators, allowing us to work more effectively and with greater safety. Officials can station themselves at a safe distance from dangerous terrain or volatile situations, in effect allowing us to do more with less.
Speaker, also a word of thanks to our officials who assisted and supported the multi stakeholder operation to salvage the NS Qingdao bulk carrier. This ship was at risk of an uncontrolled fire earlier this year just off our coastline, representing a real environmental disaster threat.
Since then, the ship has been anchored at the Port of Saldanha, from where all the affected chemical cargo was salvaged and safely disposed of at Vissershok’s High Hazardous Waste facility. The NS Qingdao will now undergo some minor repairs after which it will set sail for South America.
Speaker, the good cooperation between SAMSA, DFFE, SA Ports Authorities, the ships owners and our Provincial officials shows us what can be achieved through teamwork.
Dink net wat ons kan vermag as ons hierdie vlak van samewerkingmet DFFE, SAPS en die Weermag kan kry ten opsigte van perlemoenstropery aan ons kuslyn.
Speaker, CapeNature, ons bewaringsentiteit lewer `n ongelooflike belangrike en goeie diens aan die Weskaap. CapeNature het onlangs hul nuutste toerisme syfers bekend gemaak, en dit is iets om op trots te wees.
CapeNature’s eco-tourism earnings increased by a record 60.5% compared to the previous financial year. What is even more remarkable, is that it surpassed its pre-COVID-19 revenue target of 2019/20. This is notwithstanding a two-year price freeze and limited access due to COVID-19 regulations.
 
Despite COVID-19, CapeNature has seen an increase in the number of visitors frequenting its reserves. Visitor numbers have grown by 36% at the end of February 2022 compared to the same period in 2022/21.

Top destinations and attractions remain the Whale Trail at De Hoop Nature Reserve, Algeria in the Cederberg Wilderness, Kogelberg Nature Reserve outside Kleinmond and Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve near Swellendam.

CapeNature has embraced technology. It recently launched its own visitor app. CapeNature also partnered with a mobile mapping app, Forge, listing most of CapeNature trails, which can be accessed offline as well. This app is a great tool to ensure that one does not veer off too far from your hiking group, can navigate in foul weather and can call for help. This free app goes a long way in ensuring hiking safety.

CapeNature was announced as the 1st runner-up in the Reigniting Africa Travel & Tourism Awards. The entity was recognised amongst 16 other entries, which acknowledges the most impactful, story-driven and positive destination campaign.

The Siyaya – Come wild with us series, a collaboration between CapeNature, Wesgro and SANParks and produced by Francois Odendaal Productions, was awarded “Best Documentary” - at the Golden Bee International Children’s Film Festival held in New Delhi, India.

This extraordinary series bridges the gap between young children and nature with a deeply resonant conservation message. Siyaya has been shown in well over half of the world’s countries and can be seen locally on multiple platforms from SABC2 to the Mindset Network on DSTV and
 
now also available on Video on Demand like Showmax. The first three seasons have already been licensed by National Geographic.

In 2021 CapeNature's Mbali Collection at Kogelberg Nature Reserve received the CIFA (Cape Institute for Architects) award for Architecture. The nomination and award illustrate CapeNature's efforts to produce architecturally significant, low impact tourist infrastructure that follows the entity’s philosophy of 'touching the earth lightly'.

CapeNature conducts protected area management effectiveness assessments of all protected areas they manage every two years, of which the latest one was done at the end of 2021.
Results for the 2020-2022 assessment reflect that 94% of the area managed by CapeNature is in the ‘Sound Management’ category of 67% and above. No protected areas were categorised as having ‘Inadequate Management’.
CapeNature’s conservation estate has already increased with 33 354 hectares in 2021/2022 through protected area expansion and stewardship, of which 12 577 hectares were formally declared as protected areas.

Speaker, but we also have to talk about Driftsands. The Driftsands Nature Reserve situated on the western boundary of Mfuleni has been subjected to continuous unlawful occupation since July 2020. COVID-19 regulations stipulated in terms of the Disaster Management Act of 2002 prohibited CapeNature to take lawful action to remove the unlawful structures and occupants. A major concern is that the unlawful structures have been erected in flood-prone areas such as the Kuils River flood plain and associated wetlands. In light of safety concerns, occupants have been asked to relocate voluntarily before the start of winter rains. An intergovernmental task team was established to plan for disaster management and mitigate the risks.
 
CapeNature have responded to 82 veldfires with a total estimated 25 000 hectares burnt to date. Most of these fires were started due to people’s negligence and many of these fires could have been avoided. The combined response and support, including financial support through the Provincial Disaster Management Center, District and Local Municipalities, Fire Protected Associations, Working on Fire, Wildfire Volunteer groups and CapeNature are critical in the response to veldfires in the Western Cape.

Thank you to the CapeNature CEO and team. In a time where South African news is dominated by weak, corrupt and dysfunctional State-Owned Entities, it is a pleasure to be associated with you. Keep up the good work.

Development Planning

Speaker, monitoring and protecting the environment is only one half of our work. The other half relates to the people who live and work in the Western Cape. Nothing has a greater impact on the environment than people.
Because of the Western Cape’s reputation as the best run province in the country, and Cape Town being recognised internationally as a destination to work and visit, we are seeing an inward migration and natural population growth of 100 000 people a year into the Province.
Speaker, hierdie groei in populasie beteken dat Kaapstad binne die volgende 8 jaar `n stad so groot soos Bloemfontein gaan moet bou om almal te huisves wat hierna toe kom. Dit beteken water, elektrisieteit, hospitale, skole en al die infrastruktuur wat daarmee gepaard gaan
Some of these new residents are wealthy businesspeople, bringing money and job opportunities to the Province as they relocate their businesses. Some are traveling across borders and through
war zones to make a new beginning here. Some people arrive by plane, some arrive with a luxury moving company, and some with only the clothes on their back.
 
Ongelukkig is dit `n feit dat nasionale toelaes nie saam met mense na die Weskaap kom nie. Die geld volg nie die voete nie. `n Sensus elke 10 jaar hou nie tred met die vinnige veranderende omgewing waarbinne ons leef nie. Dankie vir die goeie werk wat die span by Ontwikkelingsbeplanning vir ons in hierdie verband doen. Akkurate en opgedateerde inligting word geskep wat ons in staat stel om waardevolle beplanning te doen.

Inclusive Housing Strategy:

Speaker, one of my priorities is to promote spatial integration to build social cohesion and connected, safer spaces in our towns. We are looking forward to being the first Province in South Africa to introduce an inclusionary housing policy framework. Our planning and land use management systems must pursue spatial justice in the Western Cape. Our Policy Framework will support and guide municipalities to develop their own policies and reform and leverage the planning system to support the supply of well- located affordable housing in partnership with the private sector.

Our Regional Socio-Economic Projects (RSEP) Programme is another example where we use planning as a tool to help communities to build infrastructure that improves quality of life, makes for safer spaces, and creates employment all at the same time.
We commend developers who are already doing this work voluntarily. We are also supporting four of our bigger cities and towns in the Western Cape with housing market studies. Demonstrating how we are, at the same time, supporting the local implementation of the policy framework with the necessary intelligence to design locally appropriate inclusionary housing policies.
 
Speaker, we must thank the private sector for supporting our Property Developers Forum initiative, where the space is created for government and private sector to engage one another on matters relating to development.

In Conclusion:

Speaker, a few concluding remarks: Allow me to welcome our new HOD at the Department. You will find a strong and capable team to support you. Thank you, Karen Shippey, for your steady hand as Acting HOD. Also thank you to Piet van Zyl, who retired this year after doing a great job over the past 10 years.
HOD, If you are truly passionate about the environment and the planning processes that goes with it, you will be right at home in this Department.
Dankie