Address by Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Hon. Ms Makhotso Sotyu (MP), during the 2022/23 Budget Vote plenary in the National Assembly

Chairperson of the House,
Honourable Minister, Mme Barbara Creecy,
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Ms Faith Muthambi,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
The Management of Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment,
All the CEOs of the Department’s entities,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to take the opportunity today to thank all the first responders, community members, businesses and NGOs who have come together in the spirit of ubuntu and worked tirelessly to help the people of KwaZulu-Natal who were affected by the recent floods.

The extensive damage caused by the masses of water cemented our need to accept the reality of climate change, and the critical importance of warnings of possible extreme weather events, which are expected to become more and more frequent as the climate continues to change.

Early warnings by the South African Weather Service are important for communities and structures of government because these ensure that there is liaison with disaster management authorities. 

This in turn ensures that public and disaster response units are mobilised on time, and influences government action all the way down to municipal and individual level.

Honourable Chair,

A key aspect of climate change is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and a resulting improvement in our air quality. 

As we deal with the effects of climate change, the importance of equipping our country’s early warning and weather prediction systems and air quality monitoring stations is key.

Weather forecasting and air quality monitoring are, but two of the exciting environment-related sectors in which we can encourage youth following science-related study paths, to consider as future career choices.

Honourable Members,

The second report published as part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 6th assessment pointed out that, Africa is already experiencing widespread loss and damage as a result of human-induced climate change.

We have seen the impacts of Covid-19 on the South African and global economy these past few years, especially job losses and impacts on households.

Unemployment, poverty, inequality and addressing gender-based violence remain our most pressing issues as we fight climate change.

In addressing climate change, we must not forget the important role of women and youth, be it within communities or in leadership roles.

In this instance, Honourable Chair, in February this year, I had an honour to be the guest speaker at the preparatory event organised by Ilitha Labantu in partnership with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology to flesh out women’s needs and priorities going into the 66th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW66), which took place in New York, in March. 

The UN meeting took place under the theme “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental risk reduction policies and programmes”. 

While South Africa continues to show global leadership in our inclusive approach to a just transition,  the invaluable perspectives offered by women and the youth on how to address climate change at the level of policy, in both its development and implementation, cannot be ignored.

Women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation actions. They are involved in sustainability initiatives around the world and in their communities, while their leadership results in more effective climate action.

It is therefore important that inclusive economic growth is key to addressing unemployment, gender equality, health and other poverty related issues.

We are also promoting integration of gender issues in disaster resilience-related programmes.

This is over and above, the national, provincial and municipal Disaster Management Centres which, primarily support the Government’s national climate change response policy to effectively manage inevitable climate impacts. This is done through interventions that build and sustain South Africa’s social, economic and environmental resilience and emergency response capacity.

Honourable Members,

Maintaining intact ecosystems and species populations, and, ensuring connectivity across landscapes and seascapes, is vital for preserving adaptive capacity of nature to climate change. This in turn, will enhance human adaptive capacity and resilience.

The importance of the role of healthy ecosystems and well-functioning ecological infrastructure in assisting us to adapt to climate change cannot be over-emphasised.

This is because healthy ecosystems are better able to cope with climate change impacts and in turn help people to adapt, while healthy ecological infrastructure like inland wetlands, estuaries and coastal dunes are better able to protect built infrastructure and people from impacts of extreme weather events.

South Africa has already established itself as a leader in promoting nature-based responses, such as ecosystem-based adaptation and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, as part of our National Climate Change response.

Through the SA National Biodiversity Institute, we are committed to continuing these efforts. This includes our efforts to mobilise international climate finance for ecosystem-based adaptation through a range of collaborations and multisectoral approaches.

These are expected to unlock significant investments that deliver direct benefits to vulnerable and unlock the role of the private sector and catalyse systemic and policy responses that support South Africa’s just transition to a climate resilient society.

Honourable Members,

Besides floods and other extreme weather events, drought is a new reality for many communities across our country.

During the recently concluded United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP 15 in Cote d’Ivoire, the Abidjan Declaration was adopted on achieving gender equality for successful land restoration. 

I participated as a panelist in the Gender Caucus to showcase our national efforts to respond to the UNCCD’s Gender Action Plan and demonstrate the work being done to mainstream gender at all levels. 

The Abidjan Declaration recognises that securing women’s access to land, control over land, and access to finance for land-based economic activities are central components of women’s economic empowerment and rights, and in generating opportunities for economic prosperity and independence.

We are well aware that women are disproportionately affected by extreme weather events like droughts as it threatens lives; livelihoods and food security.

South Africa is, thus, one of the countries that will implement projects and programmes in response to SADC Drought Resilience Strategy.

You will agree with me that, it is imperative that appropriate global attention and action be focused on drought. South Africa therefore aligns with the strong message of Africa to COP 15 which calls for the strengthening of policy frameworks and instruments to address drought under the Convention.

Honourable Members,

On 9 December 2002, the heads of state of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe signed a Treaty establishing the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA). 

The core cross-border conservation area comprises of the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, the Kruger National Park in South Africa and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe.

This year in April, our Ministry joined the Ministers of Environment from Mozambique and Zimbabwe to discuss various issues related to the collaborative management of this important cross-border conservation area.

To mark the 20 years ago signing, we agreed that it is fitting to celebrate this milestone with the continued rewilding and restoration of this globally important cross-border conservation landscape. 

It is through this partnership that keystone species are being reintroduced to new and existing conservation areas.

Honourable Members,

To create a country free of litter and other waste – in which we all recycle, up-cycle, reuse or repurpose materials – requires a commitment by all citizens.

That is why the stakeholder engagement sessions that are being held countrywide continue to be of importance, in providing feedback on the progress we have made in implementing the District Development Model.

As a District Development Model co-champion, our Ministry and Department have spent time with communities in the Provinces of the North West and the Free State, to discuss service delivery challenges that exist, particularly waste services, as well as localised procurement and job creation that will promote and support local businesses and involve local communities.

Besides building awareness about, for example, waste collection and landfill management, the Department is also handing over waste collection compactor trucks, front end loaders, and other materials required by municipalities to improve service delivery across the nine Provinces.

Furthermore, through a number of interventions by the Department, we hope to address challenges through the provision of the equipment necessary to compact waste at landfill sites, deliver waste to these sites and to dispose of waste in the correct way.

We hope then, that through the projects being implemented this year, will not only improve municipal waste management, but also see communities working together to clean their environment.

Honourable Chair,

The Department is also spearheading the implementation on the Commercial Forestry Masterplan which was approved by Cabinet in November 2020.

The Masterplan promotes growth and investment within the sector to ensure that there is increased production in forestry areas and creation of jobs.

The Plan has already realised a significant investment from the private sector and employment creation. As we are in the second year of implementation, the partners will focus on addressing barriers to implementation so that implementation can be accelerated.

All key role-players and stakeholders strive to implement this plan successfully, as it will be a good example of how private sector and government can leverage each other strengths for the development of the sector.

In an effort to scale up the implementation of the Masterplan in the skills development front, the Department intends to establish formal relations with institutions of higher learning and there is already a planned engagement with Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute to take place in June 2022.

As part of the Presidential tree planting initiative of planting 10 million trees in five years, the Department in collaboration with other stakeholders have planted a total of 762 000 trees in year one of this initiative.

The Department intends to plant 120 000 trees across all nine provinces in the current financial year 2022/2023. This will be supported by collaboration with stakeholders in achieving the two million trees target.

Honourable Chairperson, 

In conclusion,

I would like to thank the Honourable Minister for her leadership within the forestry, fisheries and environmental sectors in the past year, and to thank the Director-General, Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala, and the Department for their support.

I thank you Honourable Chair and Members of the Portfolio Committee in particular, for their robust engagement and guidance.

I thank you.

Source: Government of South Africa