Hon House Chair, hon Deputy President and colleagues in the House, I take this opportunity once again to commend the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs for finalising the SA Weather Service Amendment Bill so quickly.
On Tuesday last week, when this House debated and adopted the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Amendment Bill and the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Amendment Bill, I informed this august House that the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs had already processed seven difficult, very technical and important Bills for the environmental sector. One other Bill - that is, national environmental management number three - is still in the process of being finalised.
The overall objectives of these Bills are to ensure that environmental rights, as contained in section 24 of our Constitution, is progressively realised for our people. Today this House is debating and adopting the SA Weather Service Amendment Bill and I therefore once again commend the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs for a job well done.
The SA Weather Service Amendment Bill seeks to amend certain sections of the SA Weather Service Act of 2001. The SA Weather Service Act, Saws, as it is always called, was promulgated on 2 June 2001 and came into operation on 15 July 2001. The purpose of the Act was to establish the SA Weather Service as a juristic person and to determine its objectives, functions and method of work.
Hon Minister, just a moment, please. Hon members, there is too much movement in the House. Will members take their seats or leave the Chamber, please? It is difficult to follow what the hon Minister is introducing.
It is a very important Bill for all of us. The SA Weather Service Act further prescribes the manner in which the weather service is to be managed and governed, including staff and financial matters. The current overall function of the Weather Service is to provide meteorological services for South Africa.
In 2004 the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, act No 39 of 2004, Nem: Aqa, was promulgated. One of the legal obligations stemming from the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act for government was to develop credible and quality information to inform air quality intervention measures or initiatives as well as to share air quality information with the general public regarding the right to safe air, which all of us have a right to.
The legal obligation that the department has is to invest in infrastructure for the purpose of creating a credible baseline of ambient air quality information. In order to meet the information requirements for good air quality governance and to ensure full compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, since the promulgation of this Act in early 2005, the Department of Environmental Affairs established the SA Air Quality Information System, Saaqis, and the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network, Naaqmn, and identified the Weather Service as a suitable custodian of the SA Air Quality Information System.
The SA Air Quality Information System is an electronic web-based information management system that has the stated objective of providing all stakeholders with easy access to all relevant information about ambient air quality in South Africa, and further provides different stakeholders with different useful online applications in order to support the effective and efficient management of ambient air quality.
The National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network collects and feeds information into the information system, and consists of networks of government-owned ambient air quality monitoring stations located around South Africa. Both the SA Air Quality Information System and the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network are already in operation. Both systems are works in progress that will continue to grow in size, scope, utility and complexity over the next few years.
To ensure the sustainability of this system as well as to provide weather services with the necessary mandate and powers to host these systems, the department and the SA Weather Service agreed that an amendment to the SA Weather Service Act is indeed desirable. In this regard, the SA Weather Service Amendment Bill provides the SA Weather Service with a legal mandate to provide ambient air quality information and to be the custodian of the SA Air Quality Information System.
The amendment will provide the SA Weather Service with the necessary function and will ensure sustainable operation and maintenance of the air quality information system. The SA Air Quality Information System and the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network will be fully institutionalised within the Weather Service of South Africa. Importantly, for the first time in 20 years of our democracy, government air quality intervention measures and/or initiatives will be based on credible and quality information.
The SA Weather Service Amendment Bill provides the Minister with legal power for policy determination as well as supervisory power over the Weather Service. The Minister will set policy parameters within which the Weather Service must exercise its functions. The amendment will allow the Minister to monitor the exercise of powers and performance of functions by the Weather Service against the policy that is determined by the Minister.
The SA Weather Service Amendment Bill empowers the SA Weather Service to issue ambient air quality forecasts and ambient air quality warnings. The ambient air quality warnings will be issued after consultation with the Minister. This is also something that is different.
The ambient air quality forecasts and warnings will be informed by the ambient air quality information that is generated from the air quality monitoring networks as well as from the system that I referred to earlier on. These powers and functions must be performed or exercised within the policy parameters that will be determined by the Minister.
The SA Weather Service Amendment Bill also strengthens the corporate governance provision in clause 7 that provides for the selection, recruitment and appointment of the chief executive officer, CEO, to follow a transparent and competitive process. I would like to thank the portfolio committee for introducing this new arrangement.
The current provision in the SA Weather Service Act does not contain a provision on the removal of the CEO from office, and therefore clause 8 in the SA Weather Service Amendment Bill inserts section 13A, which sets out details and grounds for the removal. Currently the SA Weather Service Act provides for the CEO to be the accounting officer of the Weather Service, whereas section 49(2) of the Public Financial Management Act provides that the board is the accounting authority. Therefore, clause 10 of the Bill amends this.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate the committee and move that this Bill be adopted. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy President, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members, comrades and friends, ladies and gentlemen, I rise once again on behalf of the ANC and also on behalf of the portfolio committee in once again recommending that we support this amending Bill in Parliament.
May I start off by thanking my long-suffering committee for the intellectual vigour and honesty with which they tackle their work and the tremendous diligence they show in doing the work. Again, I thank the Minister and her department for the professional and very useful assistance that we received as a committee.
This Bill may seem very technical in format, however, I think we should take note of the following few but very important governance issues. Clause 2 inserts a new section 2A and B in the Act to provide the Minister with the legal power to determine the policy framework within which the Weather Service must exercise its powers and perform its functions. The policies will be determined and published in the Government Gazette after consultation with the board.
In other words, once the Minister has set the policy framework within which the board must operate, the board has operational independence as long as it operates within that policy framework. The clause also provides the Minister with supervisory powers over the Weather Service. The amendment will allow the Minister to monitor the exercising of powers and performance of the functions by the Weather Service against the policy and the norms and standards determined by the Minister and also to intervene in operational matters by way of directive only in the case of noncompliance; only in the case of noncompliance.
Any existing policies in respect of the Weather Service will be tabled within a certain period of time. Maybe I should elaborate on this matter. As you know, the SA Weather Service is an agency which falls within the mandate of the Department of Environmental Affairs. Therefore, as an agency, it performs certain functions which the department would normally have performed. In this case, the functions being performed are of course, are those that deal with weather services.
It's very important that we look at agencies and the relationship they have with departments. In South Africa, I think we are very lax in spelling out those relationships properly. The fact that agencies are used all over the world is not a new phenomenon, but what is happening more and more as societies get more complex, as government gets more difficult, is that more functions of government are handed over to agencies. Therefore, the relationship between government and agency is very important.
In most instances in South Africa we don't spell out that relationship at all. It is something that we hope works out. Usually when there is a good relationship, there are no problems. The problem is when there is a breakdown, then not having the proper relationship becomes problematic. So, what we've tried to do here is that we made our starting-off point the Constitution. The Constitution clearly says in section 85(2)(b) that it is the national executive that develops and implements national policy. That is the preserve of the national executive of our country. It has to develop and implement policy.
Therefore, when we create agencies in our departments that are fulfilling certain functions that that department would usually fulfil, they have to do so with the department or the Minister retaining the policy formulation on that aspect. Once we have the policies, then we have operational independence for that agency to act within those policies. Of course, the Minister can only intervene in those matters where there are supervisory powers, where there is noncompliance with the policy or norms and standards.
It is this relationship that we have spelt out very clearly in this legislation. We hope that in our other agencies - we have many others in our departments - we are going to spell this out much more clearly so that this relationship can stand the test of time, with everyone clearly understanding what those relationships are.
Clauses 3 and 4 also amend the Act to extend the objectives and functions of the Weather Service so as to provide it with a legal mandate for the gathering of ambient air quality information and to designate it as the custodian of the South African Air Quality Information System, Saaqis. Clause 4 will also allow the Weather Service to issue ambient air quality warnings after consultation with the Minister.
Clause 5 will amend section 5 of the Act to ensure that the needs of air quality management stakeholders are taken into account by the Minister when appointing the Board of the Weather Service.
I again want to elaborate here somewhat by explaining this very important amendment. Firstly, in order to meet the information requirements for good air quality governance and to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act of 2004, the department and the Weather Service developed the Saaqis and what we call the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network, Naaqmn.
Secondly, since the promulgation of this Air Quality Act, the partnership between Department of Environmental Affairs and the Weather Service is governed by a memorandum of understanding. It is this memorandum of understanding that is now becoming legalised by giving that legal mandate to the Weather Service, and not only through a memorandum of understanding.
Thirdly, the Minister has pointed out one of the issues that are arising more and more in our country. When we have agencies and there is an irretrievable breakdown between the board and the chief executive officer, then if there are no proper laws and procedures to regulate this relationship, one can see that we have interminable court cases going on. At the end of the day, the courts are actually legislating for us on how to deal with this matter.
Once again in this Bill, we have gone ahead and created a full appointment mechanism with all the procedures that apply. Most importantly, we have dealt with a comprehensive removal procedure, with all the checks and balances and making sure that there is a proper audi alteram partem during the processes. Then we, or the Minister, will supplement these procedures through regulations.
Fourthly and lastly, you will recall that the most important controversial issue in this legislation when it was introduced the first time was that there was a huge uproar about the wording of the offences that were created in the legislation. After consultation with the department and with the public, it was very clear that everybody was happy to amend the wording. It has now been appropriately amended. No one has any problems with it anymore. Hopefully we will not ever have to use those offences to act against someone. If we do, the offences are now very clear and people will be dealt with accordingly. That will only be in instances where they give false or misleading weather warnings. Those are the instances where there will be an offence and they will be dealt with according to the law.
Thank you for listening, and I ask the House to support this Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chair, imagine if you will a South Africa without a reliable weather service, an unregulated Weather Service and no dependable weather warnings, where agriculture, industry and ordinary citizens have no access to accurate weather information and forecasts. How would our shipping and fishing industry cope without this vital information? Agriculture could not possibly function without accurate temperature and precipitation information enabling them to determine planting cycles. How would the airline industry function without accurate weather information?
The Minister is right, this is an important Bill. Without a dependable and precise weather service, how would we allow VIP guests to fly into Waterkloof Air Force Base? Or, how would we be able to round up the cattle and push them into the cattle kraal at Nkandla that cost us R2 million? Good quality forecasts pay off economically, not by generating large sums of money, but rather by preventing the loss of large sums of money.
Weather warnings and forecasts are important as they protect both life and property. Forecasts based on temperature and precipitation is important to agriculture and therefore to traders within the commodity markets.
A reliable and regulated service is thus essential to develop a nation. It is with this in mind that the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill is to revise the existing South African Weather Service Act of 2001, which was to establish the SA Weather Service and its operational parameters.
Section 3 of the Act is now amended to extend the mandate of the SA Weather Service to include ambient air quality information. Since the promulgation of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act in 2005, the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Weather Service developed the SA Air Quality Information System and the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network.
As you heard from the Minister, the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network is a network of government-owned ambient air quality monitoring stations that collect all the data and information which is fed into the SA Air Quality Information System. This information is then accessible to you and me or any interested parties.
A further amendment to section 3 of the Act makes the Weather Service the custodian of the SA Air Quality Information System. The advantage of the SA Air Quality Information System, Saaqis, for South Africa is that it is able to provide accurate, current, relevant and complete information for informed decision-making. Saaqis should now provide a one-stop shop for users to access air and atmospheric quality information, centralised and verified applications of the air quality act to facilitate compliance and vertical integration of the three spheres of government and flexible technological solutions for future air quality management for different stakeholders.
Therefore, the SA Weather Service now has the added responsibility of monitoring and reporting on ambient air quality. Clean air is essential to maintain the delicate balance of life on this planet, not just for us as humans, but for wildlife, vegetation, water and soil. Poor air quality is a threat and needs to be closely monitored, and corrective steps taken where necessary.
Section 4(b) of the Bill empowers the SA Weather Service to issue ambient air quality forecasts and warnings once the Minister has been informed. Subclause 7(c) of clause 4 then authorises the Minister to consult with any other relevant Minister or any stakeholder on the ambient air quality warnings. However, one would hope that this section is never used to protect those politically connected industries from being exposed and prosecuted for contravention.
The Bill has further amended section 13 of the Act to ensure that the recruitment, selection and appointment of the CEO of the SA Weather Service follows a transparent and competitive process and continues to address the removal of and disciplinary procedure regarding the CEO, including all terms and conditions pertaining to the post.
With the ever increasing reality of climate change, it is critical that the Department of Environmental Affairs and the SA Weather Service, through monitoring and information dissemination through the SA Air Quality Information System, focus on adaptation as a key strategy to address the challenges on the impact of climate change. These progressive amendments are one step closer to addressing the problem of climate change.
In closing, I must add that I was extremely touched by ...
... umdlezana wam ... [... the mother of a newborn baby ...]
... as referenced to me in the last debate, as the "last lammetjie". I wasn't sure if it was the "last lammetjie" or the "lost lammetjie". It takes me back a few years, and I thought that, on a lighter note after a very long day, I would like to dedicate the following to you:
Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them; Leave them alone, and they'll come home, Bringing their tails behind them.
Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep, And dreamt she heard them bleating; But when she awoke, she found it a joke, For they were all still fleeting.
The DA supports the Bill. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers and hon members, the SA Weather Service plays a significant day-to-day role in the lives of all South Africans. It is heartening to know that this SA Weather Service Amendment Bill provides for severe weather warnings, after consultation with the Minister, to avoid bogus reports that could create chaos.
Today the world is faced with the disaster in the Philippines that has destroyed many towns and villages. Thousands of people have lost their lives and property. In South Africa, many communities have been affected physically, emotionally and psychologically as they are living in areas that are not only waterlogged, but built in and around disaster belts. They are severely affected particularly around the increasingly disastrous winter rainfalls.
We see many sad pictures, year in and year out, of the destruction brought by rain disasters, the weather's adverse effect on farming and agricultural produce, runaway fires, flooded dams and rivers, deforestation, erosion, etc. It will be short-sighted of any administration to look solely at the weather without looking at spatial development plans and the need to rehabilitate areas, some in extremely remote parts of our country. We need a bigger picture approach.
The insertion of "advisory alert" in clause 1 provides hope for communities whose lives and livelihood are affected by disruptive weather systems and patterns. They will be able to take what little valuables they have with them, should they be advised timeously of pending disaster and urged to leave the area in time.
The best way to protect people against major accident occurrences is by maintaining the very high levels of safety as imbedded in the government's disaster management plans. We must get it right. Government has a responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of its citizens. A well co- ordinated and co-operative approach with all government departments is needed in the event of environmental and weather disasters.
The Bill further extends the objectives and functions of the Weather Service in providing the necessary legal mandate for it to provide ambient air quality services. In particular, it is the custodian of the SA Air Quality Information System.
Our air quality is endangered by the activities of persons and entities in the country that ignorantly, and sometimes arrogantly, release poisonous gaseous substances into the atmosphere. The list is long, including millions of cars that emit carbon monoxide and other particles into the atmosphere. Some people engage in bush burning; some individuals are in the habit of burning refuse. There is also the burning of agricultural waste; factory emissions; and paraffin-burning in our communities. Ultimately, these various acts have a huge effect on our weather patterns and an adverse effect on the ecosystem.
While we cannot control acts of God, we can certainly be better prepared. Minister, as I said before, this Bill may not cause the same excitement as Minister Gordhan's Budget Speech, but we cannot be without a Weather Service.
In light of some of the recent breakdowns is relationships between CEOs, boards and Ministers, as we have recently witnessed in other parastatals, this Bill strengthens the management of the SA Weather Service so as to provide for the appointment and removal processes of the chief executive officer. This Bill is a step in the right direction in terms of good governance, weather prediction, disaster management and credible information. Cope supports the Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon House Chairperson, by amending the South African Weather Services Act of 2001, this Bill brings a greater measure of certainty to our weather services by extending the powers, functions and objectives of the SA Weather Service. South Africa finds itself in a geographical locale that potentially lends itself to bouts of severe weather, both on land and at sea.
We have an extensive coastline and erratic weather patterns. We therefore have a great need for meteorological certainty. In this regard, we particularly welcome the insertion of clause 30A, which obliges the implementation of Resolution 40 of the World Meteorological Organisation, which urges members to strengthen their commitment to the free and unrestricted exchange of meteorological and related data and products.
No weather forecasting service is 100% accurate. It is in this vein that we encourage greater collaboration between the Saws and private forecasting concerns. The IFP supports this Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon House Chairperson, hon Minister Molewa, hon members, the SA Weather Service was established in accordance with the 2001 South African Weather Services Act. In terms of its vision statement, the SA Weather Service aims to provide useful and innovative weather, climate and related products and services by enhancing observational data and ... utilising cutting-edge technology to convert data into meaningful products and services for risk mitigation.
As weather and climate know no national boundaries, international co- operation at a global level is of the utmost importance for the development of meteorology and operational hydrology. It is therefore important to know that the SA Weather Service is a member of the World Meteorological Organisation, WMO, a specialised agency of the UN which has played a unique and a powerful role in contributing to the safety and welfare of this country.
The ANC, at its 52nd National Conference, noted that South Africa is experiencing increasing severe weather such as flooding, lightning, thunderstorms, tornadoes and some areas of excessive heatwaves which are causing damage to our property and infrastructure, and are jeopardising human settlements and livelihoods, particularly in the low-lying coastal areas. The conference therefore resolved that the ANC-led government should continue to proactively build South Africa's capacity in developing a comprehensive strategy to adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate and weather changes, including the rolling out of basic services and infrastructure planning.
In January this year, a severe cut-off of low pressure system led to floods in the north-eastern parts of our country. The Vhembe District in the north- western parts of the Limpopo province as well as Mpumalanga province were mostly affected by flooding that swept away bridges, roads, fertile agricultural land, causing death and injuries in some affected areas. As a result, the Vhembe District was declared a disaster area at the time. As disaster preparedness is important in the case of severe weather events, the SA Weather Service, in co-operation with disaster management, reaches out to all communities through public awareness programmes that aim to educate the public and empower them with the ability to act. The aim is to develop a weather-ready nation that knows what to do and will respond appropriately to severe weather warnings.
Since its establishment, the SA Weather Service has always been the only official provider of severe weather-related warnings for South Africa in order to ensure that there is a single authority to voice in this regard. This South African Weather Service Amendment Bill emphasises that the SA Weather Service should continue to issue severe weather-related warnings. However, it must first consult with the Minister to ensure that South Africans are protected against false, misleading and/or hoax warnings that can result - and unfortunately have already in the past resulted - in undue public panic, related stress and injuries, evacuations or mobilisation of emergency services and subsequent fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
Although it has effectively been illegal for anyone other than the SA Weather Service to issue severe weather-related warnings for South Africa since 2001, it is only now that there are possible criminal consequences for illegal warning that are proposed in the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill. In order to ensure that we build our resilience to the weather impact, we must ensure that our warning systems are efficient, effective and mostly credible.
With the real possibility of increasing extreme weather events, the potential for false, misleading and/or hoax warnings significantly undermining public confidence in or appropriate public reaction to warnings is of real concern. A section is being inserted in the principal Act that states:
No person may publish, disseminate or distribute in any manner whatsoever any severe weather warning which he or she knows, believes or ought to have reasonably known or suspected to be false or misleading; or may incite public reaction which may lead to the undue mobilisation of resources, public alarm or evacuations, or economic loss arising from such actions.
A person who contravenes any of these provisions, or subsections thereof, will be guilty of an offence and liable, in the case of a first conviction, to a fine not exceeding R5 million or imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years. Furthermore, whenever any person is convicted and it appears that such a person has, by that offence, caused loss or damage to any organ of state or other person, the court may inquire summarily into the amount of the loss or damage so caused and give judgment therefore in favour of the organ of state or the person concerned. The ANC supports the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, the ACDP is aware that the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill seeks, among other things, to provide the Minister with policy determination and supervisory powers; to extend the powers, functions and objectives of the SA Weather Service so as to provide ambient air quality services and to act as custodian of the SA Air Quality Information System. In addition, it seeks to align the South African Weather Service Act with the Public Finance Management Act, and to provide for offences and penalties.
It is certainly the hope of the ACDP that the supervisory powers given to the Minister will be used to add value to the Weather Service and not in any way compromise the work that they do. The responsibility of the SA Weather Service to maintain, extend and improve the quality of meteorological and ambient air services for the benefit of all South Africans certainly cannot be overemphasised.
As we continue to promote a developmental state here in South Africa and give effect to the National Development Plan, NDP, and the Industrial Policy Action Plan, Ipap, as well as other related mechanisms to grow our economy, we must forever remain conscious of our role to balance economic and industrial growth with quality ambient air for the health and wellbeing of all South Africans.
The ACDP also welcomes the alignment of the Act with the Public Finance Management Act as amended in section 17 of the principal Act.
I received a message from a certain Mr Andre de Kock, who wanted to know what was being done to prevent pollution of our air quality in the light of what he called "possible seeding of our clouds with heavy metals", resulting in these metals finding their way into our water and air, possibly posing a health threat to our citizens. Hopefully, the Minister will be able to respond to Mr De Kock's question.
While a bit over the top for some, the provision in respect of offences and penalties will hopefully be a sufficient deterrent to those who put out hoax warnings that may cost the state thousands if not millions of rands. With that said, the ACDP supports the Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy President, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, firstly, before I begin to engage you on the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill of 2013, I would like to thank our esteemed and knowledgeable chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs, hon Johnny de Lange.
Initially, when between six to seven pieces of legislation came before the portfolio committee, there were some concerns as to the feasibility of processing all this legislation within limited timeframes. With the sustained effort of the chairperson, together with the departmental officials, four of the Bills and two conventions were adopted by the committee on 29 October 2013 and three of the Bills were passed last week on 5 November 2013 by Parliament. I commend the work of all concerned.
Weather forecasts and warnings provided by the meteorological profession are a most important service. Forecasts are used by government and industry to protect life and property and to improve the efficiency of operations and by individuals to plan a wide range of daily activities. This summary of present-day weather forecasting capabilities is intended to provide general guidance to a broad constituency of users.
Over the past 150 years, the SA Weather Service, Saws, has built up a reputation as a trusted provider of weather and climate information. The Saws has played an integral role in assisting government to minimise the impact of weather-related natural disasters.
The primary goal of the Saws is to ensure the continued relevance of meteorological products and services in compliance with the applicable regulatory frameworks.
The purpose of the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill is to amend the South African Weather Services Act, Act 8 of 2001, so as to substitute and insert certain definitions; to extend the objectives and functions of the SA Weather Service to deal with ambient air quality information services; to provide for the Minister to amend the Schedules to the Act by notice in the Gazette; and to provide for offences and penalties.
One of the key aspects that I would like to focus on is the provision of a legal mandate to the Weather Service to provide ambient air quality services and to act as the custodian of the South African Air Quality Information System.
By 2010, the importance of working towards measurable improvements in the South African ambient air quality resulted in air quality management interventions that are fully informed by accurate, relevant, complete and accessible information. A national air quality information system, in the form of the SA Air Quality Information System, is in place.
Currently there are 102 government-owned monitoring stations, 84 of which are already reporting to the SA Air Quality Information System, Saaqis.
An hon member from the ACDP had a question about this. This means that we have 82% of government-owned monitoring stations reporting to Saaqis, which is very impressive, as we have already met the President's Outcome 10 delivery target of 80% reporting to Saaqis.
One of the challenges is the number of government air quality monitoring stations which are vandalised in municipalities. This is a concern for the national department as well as for local government. There is a need for greater uniformity between the three spheres of government to ensure air quality monitoring of the highest standard.
Another current and critical concern of the global world in this century is climate change. The SA Weather Service, with the SA Air Quality Information System, working closely with the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs is focusing on adaptation as key to coping with the impact of climate change.
Adaptation is key to coping with the unavoidable impact of climate change as such changes could exacerbate the existing variability in the weather and climate of the region.
To contribute to adaptation efforts, the SA Weather Service is improving on its drought monitoring capacity, particularly through the integration of various data sources and maintenance of a quality distribution network for rainfall and other key climate observations.
The institution also reinforces its climate information system by integrating climate change projection information with historical databases for the benefit of various end-users in water resources, agriculture, health infrastructure, biodiversity and ecosystems, forests, urban management, tourism, food, land, environment, energy security and management of coastal and marine resource sectors.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend my colleagues from the DA, hon Rodgers, from Cope, hon Ferguson, and from the IFP, hon Mama Zikalala, for their effort and support for this Bill. I especially commend the hon Rodgers. He is a miniature of the former member of the committee, hon Morgan. He is a shadow model, but does not just oppose or object for the sake of doing so.
It is said that a weather service is linked to the landing of aircraft. I know that having a good weather service is about having good information so that the aircraft can land anywhere. It doesn't matter if it lands at an air force base.
I know that all committee members fully support the chairperson of the committee. I also think hon Johnny de Lange will absolutely agree with me when I say that we appreciate all committee members' co-operation and the professionalism they contribute to the job.
In conclusion, I would like to stress that good air quality is a prerequisite for health and environmental wellbeing, which are the cornerstones of sustainable development. The need to achieve economic growth should be balanced with improvements in health and environmental wellbeing. The ANC supports this amending Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chair, I would like to thank all the members who participated in support of this Bill. In particular, I would like to thank the members of the ANC for being such good educators and actually taking the resolutions of their own party into this Parliament and into government to ensure that sustainable development is attained.
This is one of those Bills that ensure sustainable development on an ongoing basis. I did say earlier on that the information that we will be collecting through the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network and the systems that will be put in place will be continued works-in-progress that will continue to grow in size, scope as well as complexity over the next few years.
I think Mr De Kock should be informed accordingly that this information will help us to prosecute those who are acting against the law. I think that's what the hon member from the ACDP must say to Mr De Kock. This is a progressive realisation in that direction.
I am standing here to say thank you to those members who are on this committee. I want to say that the ANC is a visionary organisation with very good vision. Through Acts of this nature, we are putting in place all those laws that are necessary to ensure that we protect our people's health. This Bill will do exactly that.
So, you cannot really just come along from time to time, unlike Morgan, whom we long for - not so hom member Johnny? I am saying the hon member Morgan was so educated and understood exactly the issues that we are talking about. He would never have stood on this podium and referred to Nkandla when it was not absolutely necessary.
The Premier of this province uses an aircraft every day that is directed where to go by the SA Weather Service, which uses this Act.
Hon Minister, your time has expired.
Thank you, laatlammetjie. [The youngest child of a family, born long after the other siblings.] Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.] Debate concluded.
Bill read a second time.