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

June

06/06/2008	Whether the laws governing the prevention of poaching and the prosecution of poachers in our protected areas are sufficient to discourage (a) poaching for subsistence, (b) casual poaching and (c) poaching by organised crime operations; if not, what will be done to rectify the situation; if so, what are the relevant details; whether steps are being taken to ensure that our neighbouring countries are enforcing all relevant environmental law with regard to the transfrontier park initiatives; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether all relevant protocols signed with neighbouring countries to set up transfrontier parks are being honoured; if not, why not; if so, how was this conclusion reached?
06/06/2008	Whether South Africa recently registered 51 tonnes of ivory with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); if not, how many tonnes were registered; if so, what are the relevant details; (a) how many tusks are included in the tonnes that were registered, (b) how many of the tonnes registered (i) are from elephants that (aa) were culled, (bb) were killed by poachers, (cc) died naturally or (dd) were destroyed as problem animals or (ii) were recovered in another way?
06/06/2008	How much (a) ivory had been stockpiled up to 1995 and (b) ivory has South Africa been permitted to sell since 1995, (c) of the amount of ivory sold since 1995 up to the latest specified date for which information is available has been sold (i) locally and (ii) for non-commercial purposes and (d) ivory has been confiscated from (i) poachers, (ii) dealers and (iii) any other illegal source since 1995 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; whether measures are taken to ensure that confiscated ivory is prevented from being included in the legally recovered stockpile; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
09/06/2008	What is his department doing to support SA Tourism’s effort to attain its strategic goal of making South Africa a “top 3” destination on the list of any foreign tourist planning to travel long-haul from our core markets in 2014; whether the level of crime is a barrier to the achievement of this goal; if not, how was this conclusion reached; if so, how will this situation be changed?
09/06/2008	Whether, with regard to the release of the Long Term Mitigation Scenarios (LTMS), South Africa is likely to commit to any mitigation action under a post-2012 climate framework; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether there is a specific process that will be followed to integrate the LTMS into the decision-making of other government departments; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
13/06/2008	Whether his department has taken any steps to (a) prevent further erosion of the Lookout beach in Plettenberg Bay and (b) rehabilitate the beach; if not, why not; if so, what steps; whether his department has had any interaction with the Bitou Municipality in this regard; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether the erosion of this beach will be a threat to the local tourism industry; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
13/06/2008	Whether his department has any initiatives to pursue steam railway tourism in South Africa; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; Whether there are any challenges that will prevent steam railway tourism from flourishing in South Africa; if not, how was this conclusion reached; if so, what are the relevant details?
13/06/2008	Whether his department has (a) kept records as required by the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999, and (b) reported any incidents of losses through (i) criminal conduct, (ii) unauthorised expenditure, (iii) irregular expenditure or (iv) fruitless and wasteful expenditure during the 2007-08 financial year; if not, why not; if so, whether any action has been taken against the offending officials; if not, why not; if so, in each category, (a) how many officials (i) were dismissed, (ii) were suspended and (iii) had other sanctions imposed on them and (b) what amounts of money were involved; whether there were any disciplinary cases pending on 31 March 2008; if so, what are the relevant details?
The Keurbooms Estuary inlet migration. The red lines show sewer pipelines; pump station also shown. The inlet margins at various times are plotted. Survey of Sept 2006 is by kind courtesy of EH Schumann. Base photo of July 1999. Prepared by Werner Illenberger
20/06/2008	Whether any members of his department are currently suspended on full pay; if so, (a) how many, (b) at what rank level, (c) in which management areas and (d) for how long have they been on suspension; what was the cost to his department of salaries paid to members suspended on full pay in respect of each of the past three financial years up to and including the 2007-08 financial year?
20/06/2008	Why did he not invoke section 24 of the Marine Living Resources Act, Act 18 of 1998, to accommodate artisanal fishers from traditional coastal fishing communities; whether he intends taking any steps to invoke section 24; if not, why not; if so, when?
20/06/2008	Whether there were any staff shortages to deal with environmental impact assessment (EIA) applications in each province as at the latest specified date for which information is available; if so, what are the relevant details; whether the staff currently assigned to EIAs have the necessary capacity to deal with these complex issues; if not, whether any steps have been taken to address the matter; if not, why not; if so, what steps; (a) what is the current backlog in the EIA applications in each province and (b) when is it anticipated that these backlogs will be eliminated?
20/06/2008	Whether he intends to open any new fisheries before the end of his term of office; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether any new fisheries have been opened during his term of office thus far; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
20/06/2008	Which West Coast Rock Lobster (WCRL) permit holders were the beneficiaries of the increased WCRL total allowable catch (TAC) over the (a) previous and (b) current WCRL fishing season; whether a decision was taken by his department to increase the WCRL TAC beyond the finite bounds of resource sustainability as determined by his department’s marine science component; if so, (a) on how many occasions and (b) by whom; whether any motivation was received to increase the WCRL TAC on each occasion; if so, (a) what was the motivation and (b) by whom, in each case; what is the scientific justification and rationale given for increasing the WCRL TAC on each occasion?
27/06/2008	(a) What is the estimated population of Cape Fur Seals along the South African coast and (b) how was this figure arrived at; whether the Sea Birds and Seals Protection Act, Act 46 of 1973, is enforced by his department; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether any employees of the Marine and Coastal Management promote the killing of Cape Fur Seals as vermin; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what will be done to change the situation; whether any fees generated from tour operators that run seal tours are ring-fenced for the protection of seals; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
27/06/2008	Whether any function was organised to mark the occasion of the delivery of his budget vote in 2008; if so, (a) what total amount was spent on this function, (b) from which budget was the money allocated, (c) what amount was spent on (i) food and refreshments, (ii) venue, (iii) entertainment, (iv) staff and (v) transport and (d) how many persons were invited to attend this function?
27/06/2008	Whether any scuba diving businesses operating under concessions at Sodwana Bay are withholding their fees due to alleged grievances at the way concessions are being managed; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what will be done to rectify the situation and (b) what are the principal alleged grievances?
27/06/2008	Whether his department investigated a case in which a certain person (details furnished) recently allegedly shot at a seal; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what were the findings of the investigation; whether any testimony was taken from witnesses; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether any action was taken against the person; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
27/06/2008	Whether he recently wrote an official letter to each member of the National Environmental Advisory Forum (NEAF) informing them that the body was to be dissolved; if not, what is the (a) status and (b) future of the NEAF; if so, (i) what was the date of the letter and (ii) when will the dissolution come into force and (iii) on what basis in law was this action taken; whether he informed the National Assembly of his decision prior to writing the letter; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?