Parliamentary Updates

Questions and Answers from Parliament by
the Ministery of Environmental Affairs and Tourism on:

February

08/02/2008
  1. Since the ban on diving from 1 February 2008, (a) how many objections were received against this ban and (b) what process was followed in dealing with the objections;
  2. whether any special measures will be taken to enforce the diving ban; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  3. whether the success of the diving ban on reducing poaching will be examined at some time in the future; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  4. whether the diving ban will reduce abalone poaching; if not, why not; if so, how?
08/02/2008
  1. Since 1 November 2007, (a) how many suspected abalone poachers have been arrested, (b) in each case, (i) where was the suspected poacher arrested and (ii) how much abalone was retrieved by enforcement officials and (c) how many abalone poachers have been convicted;
  2. whether any new measures have been instituted to enforce the closure of the abalone fishery; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
08/02/2008
  1. Whether all staff currently employed by his department have signed performance agreements; if not, what percentage has signed;
  2. in respect of each of the past three years up to and including 2007, how many (a) senior managers (levels 13-16) were employed by his department and (b) of these senior managers signed performance agreements;
  3. whether all senior managers who signed performance agreements were assessed during this period; if not, why not; if so,
  4. whether any senior managers failed to meet the performance standards required of them; if so, what action was taken against them?
08/02/2008 Whether the hospitality industry has ratified and implemented a grading system for the physically challenged; if not, by when is such a grading system expected to be fully implemented; if so, what are the relevant details?
08/02/2008 (a) What are the relevant timelines for the appeal process following the Record of Decision (ROD) for the King Shaka Airport, (b) how were these guidelines determined, (c) how many appeals were received and (d) when will he make his final decision on the appeals?
08/02/2008 (a) How many vacancies existed in Marine and Coastal Management as at the latest specified date for which information is available, (b) what is the percentage of vacancies out of the total staff complement for the branch, (c) in respect of each vacancy, what is (i) the title of the position, (ii) its level and (iii) the period it has been vacant and (d) what are the main reasons for vacancies not being filled?
08/02/2008
  1. Whether the environmental effects of the new energy saving lamps have been considered; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) what is envisaged with regard to disposing of the toxic waste resulting from the mercury content;
  2. Whether there is any legislation or facilities to dispose of these lamps; if so, what are the relevant details?  
15/02/2008
  1. (a) How many Marine and Coastal officials are employed in the Eastern Cape and (b) at which harbours and launch sites are officials stationed;
  2. whether officials have conducted any joint operations since 1 November 2007 with members of the (a) Air Force, (b) Navy, (c) SA National Defence Force or (d) SA Police Service in order to apprehend suspected abalone poachers; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  3. whether officials in the Eastern Cape are sufficiently resourced to conduct their duties effectively; if not, what measures will be taken to rectify the situation; if so, what are the relevant details?
15/02/2008
  1. (a) When was the Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) tip-off hotline established, (b) how many calls were (i) received by this hotline in 2007 and (ii) related to tip-offs of alleged illegal activities in the abalone fishery and (c) where are the operators of the hotline located;
  2. whether any measures are in place to ensure that the operators of the hotline can contact local offices of the MCM; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  3. whether operators of the hotline are sufficiently capacitated to deal with the calls; if not, what measures will be taken to rectify the situation; if so, what are the relevant details?
15/02/2008
  1. Whether his department operates (a) national and (b) provincial wildlife crime databases; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  2. whether these databases can track (a) the number and (b) species of animals known to have been illegally killed in various geographic areas; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  3. whether these databases are open for public scrutiny; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
15/02/2008 Whether any measures have been put in place to alleviate the plight of legal rights holders in the abalone fishery affected by his decision to close the fishery; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
25/02/2008
  1. Whether the operation of any marine vessels of his department have been affected by the unavailability of marine diesel or any other maritime fuel at any time since 1 January 2008; if so, (a) which vessels and (b) what was the (i) nature of the disruption, (ii) length of disruption in each case and (iii) reason for the unavailability of fuel;
  2. whether any measures will be taken to ensure that such interruptions do not occur again; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
25/02/2008
  1. Whether there are areas that have formalised civilian or honorary ranger organisations that assist Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) officials in compliance and enforcement operations; if so, what are the relevant details;
  2. whether he supports the formation of such bodies to assist MCM officials in conducting their duties; if not, why not; if so, why;
  3. whether any assistance has been provided to such organisations; if not, why not; if so, to which organisations?
25/02/2008 Whether, in light of the diving ban that came into force on 1 February 2008, there are any measures allowing the legal operation of divers conducting (a) scientific research, (b) marine salvage and (c) underwater repairs; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
29/02/2008
  1. Whether his department will continue to fund the Continued River Rehabilitation programme in Clarens in the Free State; if not, why not; if so,
  2. whether the current beneficiaries will receive any further assistance from his department; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) when will the project managers receive the funding for 2008, (b) for how long will this project be funded and (c) what are the further relevant details?
29/02/2008 Whether any staff members of the SA National Parks have been involved in any illegal killing of animals within the national parks since 1 January 2004; if so, (a) in which park did the killing occur, (b) on what date, (c) what (i) number and (ii) types of species were killed, (d) what was the designation of the staff member involved, (e) what happened to the staff member and (f) what was the reason for the killing?
29/02/2008 What is the breakdown of species poached (a) in each national park and (b) in respect of the past four calendar years?