NC BUDGET 2016
MEASURES have been put into place to address the threat facing not only rhinos but also the rampant illegal hunting being undertaken during the winter months in the Northern Cape.
MEC for Environment and Nature Conservation, Tiny Chotelo, said during her department’s budget presentation in the Northern Cape Legislature yesterday that regular patrols would be undertaken and there would be no mercy for offenders undertaking illegal hunting activities.
“The scourge of rhino poaching that has been felt in the Province is a serious cause for concern. The department, in conjunction with the SAPS, chairs the Priority Committee on Wildlife Crime - a subcommittee of the PROVJOINTS. The Committee has members of the Private Rhino Owners Association (PROA) as internal stakeholders.”
Chotelo stated further that she wanted to clarify the myth that protecting wild animals was “a white thing, because it is not!”.
“All of us, irrespective of our race, need to protect these animals for the sake of our biodiversity.”
“We will be seeking, through the courts, the confiscation of rifles, vehicles involved in illegal hunts and the suspension of hunting licences to curb these horrific acts.”
Chotelo also used her budget speech to reprimand local municipalities for not prioritising waste, pointing out that the majority of waste facilities within the Province were not maintained or operated in accordance with legislation.
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She stated that although a medical waste strategy was in place and the Department of Health had appointed a service provider to collect waste from all public health facilities within the Province, recent reports had been received of dangerous medical waste being dumped at general landfills within the Province.
“This matter is being investigated by the Compliance and Enforcement Unit and we have requested an implementation plan on how DOH will put an end to this unacceptable phenomenon.”
The department has meanwhile also allocated a budget to implement a system to monitor the quality of ambient air in the Province and identify hot spots.
“The system also allows us to implement projects that improve the quality of air and reduce the occurrence of respiratory diseases. The information collected is critical in order to help address climate change impacts and to identify what can be done now, to reduce the impacts on the poor and vulnerable communities in the Province.”
Passive monitors are already running in Springbok, Upington, Kuruman and De Aar and in the coming financial year the network will be extended to include Kimberley.
“The department intends purchasing a continuous monitor before the end of this new financial year. Two e-samplers will be pur- chased to enable us to get more accurate data, pertaining to the dust levels within the ambient air in the Province.
“It is essential that the Province invests in an efficient and effective monitoring network, firstly to measure the levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) present within the ambient air and secondly, to scientifically determine if the interventions that are being put in place, are effective in reducing the levels of GHG in the ambient air.”
Allocated the smallest budget of all provincial government departments, namely R140 million, the largest portion of the allocation (R61.3 million) will be spent on Administration, while Environmental Policy, Planning and Co-ordination will receive R10.4 million, Compliance and Enforcement R14 million, and R14.3 million has been earmarked for Environmental Quality Management. The second biggest slice goes to Biodiversity Management at R28 million while R12.6 million will be used for Environmental Empowerment Services.