Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members of the House and distinguished guests, as a point of emphasis, the right of all South Africans - (a) to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and
(b) to have the (natural) environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations ... -
is enshrined in section 24 of our Constitution.
It is also the mission of this department to provide leadership in environmental management, conservation and protection, with the aim of sustainability for the benefit of all South Africans and the global community. It is our considered view that the department is equal to this task, as shown through their master plan and also their strategic plan.
The oceans and coasts of our country remain a national asset that belongs to all South Africans. Oceans and coasts throughout the world have historically been among the most heavily exploited areas because of their rich resources. In coastal countries today, an estimated half of the total population live in the coastal zones, and it is therefore very important that we take note of this asset of the oceans and coasts.
During the time of the apartheid regime, ocean and coast management efforts did not recognise the value of coastal ecosystems as a cornerstone for development. This management was also resource-centred rather than people- centred and attempted to control coastal resources rather than promote their sustainable use, with a lack of recognition of the diversity of our coasts.
During the dawn of democracy in our country we saw the emergence of the White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development in South Africa in the year 2000. The purpose of this paper was to promote an integrated approach to the management of our coast and redress the fragmented and unco-ordinated manner in which our marine and coastal environment had been managed, which benefitted only a few privileged. This White Paper gave birth to the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act, which was promulgated in 2008 and which has assisted this government to move away from a fragmented to a co-ordinated and integrated approach to coastal management.
As our country was being welcomed into the global family we had to adhere to global approaches, like the 1992 Rio Earth Summit programme of action, called Agenda 21, which emphasised the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal areas, and urged governments to develop policies that enabled stakeholder involvement. This approach was echoed by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, which took place in Johannesburg. It called for countries to promote an integrated, multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach to coastal and ocean management at a national level. Marine protected areas in our country, including the offshore Prince Edward Island, also go a long way in sustainable development. We must remember that the marine protected areas have to promote and conserve the marine environment and marine biodiversity by providing a sanctuary for species, and against the impact of fishing exploration.
It is clear that as a country we have now begun to realise and understand the economic value of our ocean and coastal areas. Last year the Department of Environmental Affairs co-ordinated a study to analyse the economic potential of South Africa's oceans. This work demonstrated that the economic potential of South Africa's marine resources could be optimised further. Overall, South Africa's oceans could generate an estimated GDP contribution of up to R177 billion by the year 2033 through government interventions to unlock the value of certain sectors in the oceans and coastal sphere.
During the state of the nation address the President of our Republic, President Jacob Zuma, announced Operation Phakisa, which the Minister referred to. This operation is the government's intervention to come up with implementable plans to unlock the economic potential of the ocean and coastal sector. The President of the Republic, as also mentioned by the Minister, will officially launch Operation Phakisa on Saturday, 19 July, which is this coming Saturday.