Coastal awareness programme launch

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) launched its coastal awareness programme, in Durban, KwaZuluNatal.

The programme was aimed at raising awareness, and educating South Africans about their right to coastal access, a clean environment in coastal public properties, and their responsibility to keep such properties in a usable condition.

South Africa enjoys a coastline of just under 3 000km, with numerous beaches designated for the public’s enjoyment and recreation. Everyone has a right to access these beaches and public amenities, as contained in the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act, 2008 (Act No. 24 of 2008) (ICM Act).

The ICM Act seeks to achieve the realisation of the right of access to our natural heritage and recreational benefits to all and in so doing, support growing tourism, recreational fishing and fair access to amenities. In addition, under the Act, no one may charge a fee (directly or indirectly) in order to access coastal public property, without the permission of the Minister responsible for environmental affairs.

The Minister of DEA, Mrs Nomvula Mokonyane, urged all South Africans to “enjoy our coastline responsibly”, while taking into account the duty of care for our coastal environment as prescribed in the environmental legislation.

“It is our duty to ensure that we do not litter, do not drive on the beach and accord everyone their right to access public coastal property,” said Minister Mokonyane.

Several coastal awareness programmes across the country were conducted to remind communities that everyone is a custodian of our valuable coastal resources.

These awareness campaigns focused on among others, coastal and marine pollution, public access to the beach and illegal driving on the beach.

The Department also deals with pollution along the coast from marine litter, including plastic litter, which has become a matter of increasing global and national concern as a source of marine pollution.

Plastics are the cause of increasing ocean pollution, which in turn affects marine life, and consequently human beings.

Given the difficulties experienced with marine litter, the Department has embarked on a Source-to-Sea initiative that addresses waste management and marine litter from landbased sources. Various stakeholders are involved, with the interventions to address marine litter in catchment areas before becoming problematic for our coastline and the marine environment.