Mr Speaker, before I start, I would like to say that I like the hon Luyenge's blazer; maybe, in the future, we can consider that for sports teams in Parliament. [Laughter.]
Speaker, Cope supports sustainable environmental development. We are, however, concerned that various stakeholders often take shortcuts to avoid red tape. The proposed Safari Hotel development near the Malelane gate in the Kruger National Park has sparked some heated debates.
The South African National Parks, SANParks, have allegedly not followed the National Environmental Management Act in some regards, leading to the entity being accused of leapfrogging certain legal requirements.
More alarming is the backlog of the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs regarding the effective management of conservation. If this backlog is not addressed, the state will fail in its obligation to protect the cultural heritage of South Africans and in its constitutional commitment towards the environment.
Cope calls on the department to ensure that this backlog is addressed and that no shortcuts are taken regarding sustainable environmental development.