House Chairperson, hon members, members of the executive who are here, concerning the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007, both the department and the South African Maritime Safety Authority, Samsa, met and briefed the committee.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority Act, Act 5 of 1998, amongst other things stipulated in the Act, states that there is a need for our seas to be safe. It is also important and crucial to prevent the pollution of our country's maritime space and for it to be free from environmental pollutants.
The Act also states further that there is a need for the country to promote maritime interests.
To realise these aims and objectives mentioned above, the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks seeks to do the following, amongst others: to take measures in accordance with the convention in relation to the removal of wrecks which poses a hazard in the state party area; to take measures to remove a wreck that poses a hazard and cease such measures as soon as the wreck has been removed; to ensure that the rights and interests of the state party, including the state of origin of the ship's registry and any person are upheld and are not interfered with; and to co-operate when the effects of a maritime casualty resulting from the wreck involve a state other then the affected state.
The state parties to the international convention must agree that a wreck, if not removed, may pose a hazard to navigation and to the marine environment. They also agreed that more benefits are to be gained when the same legal regime governs the removal of wrecks is used internationally.
The portfolio committee, deliberated on the convention, and consulted with captains of industry, and consensus and understanding were reached on the implications of the Act. In our discussion as a committee, we considered the fact that there was a need for policy development or legislation that would enable the department to implement this international convention.
Hon members, our geostrategic location in the Southern Hemisphere gives us opportunities to deal with the removal of wrecks along our 3 924 km long coastline. The development of critical industries in this category can easily be realised. As indicated by the President of the Republic, His Excellency hon Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, at the launch of Operation Phakisa:
An analysis was conducted of nine sectors that comprise South Africa's ocean economy. The ocean has the potential to contribute to the gross domestic product up to R177 billion.
In discussions held at portfolio committee meetings it was also agreed that wreck removal is one of the areas in which we as a country are able to facilitate massive job creation and industries.
Research and development are yet another area that can be used to maximise job creation, as clearly outlined in the National Development Plan, NDP. The department and Samsa will use the Nairobi International Convention, amongst others, on the Removal of Wrecks for skills development and job creation, amongst others. Currently, the state party, which is the Republic of South Africa, incurs costs in the removal of wrecks from our seas and territories. The convention will assist with ensuring that the owners of the wrecked ship or the state party in which the ship is registered will incur the cost of the wreck removal. This will save the state party some money and will assist with income generation.
Members of the House, I move that the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007, be approved by the House. Thank you.
There was no debate.
Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007, approved.