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

May

09/05/2008	(a) In each of the latest two calendar years for which information is available, (i) what was the total number of foreign tourist arrivals in South Africa and (ii) what is the breakdown of this figure according to country of origin, (b) how are foreign tourist arrival figures determined and (c) what is the breakdown of the total number of foreign tourist arrivals according to those arriving in South Africa by (i) air, (ii) land and (iii) sea?
09/05/2008	What (a) has been his route for each international trip undertaken by air, including the (i) departing city and (ii) final destination, since 1 July 2007 up to the latest specific date for which information is available and (b) was the purpose for each trip?
09/05/2008	Whether, the department is currently making active use of the Long Term Mitigation Scenarios when planning future transport decisions; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (a) what standards currently govern the emissions from vehicles on our roads and (b) when were these standards last updated; whether steps are being taken to reduce future emissions from vehicles; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (a) what is the expected current contribution of the transport sector to greenhouse emissions and (b) how is this figure made up?
09/05/2008	(1) (a) When is it expected that the Cabinet will approve the National Strategy on Sustainable Development (NSSD) and (b) what have been the reasons for the delay in obtaining approval of the NSSD; whether steps are being taken to reduce future emissions from vehicles; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether his department will be responsible for the implementation of the NSSD; if not, what is the position in this regard, if so, what are the relevant details?
16/05/2008	Whether, with regard to his reply to Question 1931 on 7 December 2007, there are medical waste treatment facilities that have now come to the attention of the department which were not included in the initial answer; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether there is a shortfall of capacity to deal with the treatment of medical waste, if not, why not; if so, whether the national department has made any decision to assist with the expediting of the approval of treatment facilities in any of the provinces; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; what was the methodology used during the recent study to determine the capacity of the medical waste industry?
16/05/2008	Whether his department has supplied any funds to the Bethelsdorp Development Trust in each of the past five years up to the latest specified date for which information is available; if not, why not; if so, (a) how much, (b) when and (c) on what was it spent; whether any such funding will be supplied to this institution in the future; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
16/05/2008	Whether, with reference to his reply to Question 307 on 9 May 2008, poaching statistics in the national parks are regularly analysed to ascertain trends; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether the SA National Parks (SANParks) periodically requests reports on poaching from each of its parks; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; whether there are any challenges in recording statistics on poaching; if not, how was this conclusion reached; if so, what are the relevant details; whether there are any legislative hindrances to secure the conviction of suspected poachers; if not, how was this conclusion reached; if so, what are the relevant details?
16/05/2008	When will the enquiry by the chairperson of the board of South African Weather Services (SAWS) into the various alleged irregularities at SAWS be concluded; whether (a) the chairperson is the appropriate person and (b) the enquiry is the appropriate method to investigate the alleged irregularities; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, how did he reach this conclusion; whether he gave the chairperson a specified time frame within which to complete the enquiry; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether he will table the findings of the enquiry in Parliament upon its conclusion; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
23/05/2008	(a) What was the total rand value of (i) hotel accommodation procured for departmental officials and (ii) conferencing facilities hired by his department during the period 1 October 2007 to 31 March 2008 and (b) in each case, what percentage was spent at establishments graded by the Tourism Grading Council; whether there are any barriers to making use of graded establishments; if not, why is the use of graded facilities not higher; if so, what are the relevant details?
23/05/2008	(a) What was the total inbound economic value of foreign tourists visiting South Africa in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007 and (b) what is the expected total inbound economic value of foreign tourists visiting South Africa in 2008?
23/05/2008	Whether his department will continue to provide funding to coastal municipalities that have invested heavily in the necessary infrastructure to attain blue flag status for some of their beaches; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; whether all the municipalities who were promised funding have received all of the funds; if not, what amounts are outstanding in each case; if so, what have they received in each case?
23/05/2008	Whether he will ensure that his department (a) monitors and (b) reduces its carbon footprint with immediate effect; if so, how will this be done; whether this will include the phasing out of glossy publications from all agencies or councils reporting to him; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;   (a) what is the estimated cost of all such (i) reports and (ii) publications per annum in the case of these agencies and all other working documents of his department and (b) what kinds of (i) energy are being used in the offices of his department and (ii) energy saving measures are being implemented in these offices?
23/05/2008	With reference to his reply to written Question 1105 on 17 August 2007, what core markets were surveyed in the 2005 SA Tourism brand tracking survey; what was the percentage breakdown for each of the eight core markets with regard to potential tourists who mentioned safety and security as one reason for not visiting South Africa in the five years prior to the survey;   whether the survey has been updated; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details with regard to the effect of crime on tourists?
30/05/2008	Whether (a) systems and (b) technology are in place in (i) Table Bay and (ii) in the vicinity of Koeberg Power Station to respond to the challenge of an oil spill; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether his department has the required personnel to deal with such a challenge; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;   whether there are particular challenges in this area when responding to an oil spill; if not, how was this conclusion reached; if so, what are the relevant details?
30/05/2008	Whether, with reference to the schedule for fishing harbour fees published in the Government Gazette on 25 April 2008, stakeholders were consulted in the formulation of these fees; if not, why not; if so, what (a) factors were taken into account when determining the fees, (b) was the total amount of fishing harbour fees collected in the past two financial years and (c) are the further relevant details?
30/05/2008	Whether his department makes use of private security firms; if so, how much money was spent on such firms in 2007; whether these firms are used on a contractual basis; if so, (a) how many contracts did his department take out in 2007, (b) with which firms were these contracts taken out, (c) for what specific purpose was each contract taken out and (d) what was the value of each contract in each case;   why is there a need for his department to use a private security firm as opposed to state security?
30/05/2008	Whether his department has conducted an energy audit to determine its (a) use of energy and (b) opportunities for reduction of energy use; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; whether his department has any plans to reduce energy consumption; if not, why not; if so, what plans;   whether his department has made any material reduction in energy use since 1 January 2008; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
30/05/2008	Whether his department’s comments on the environmental impact assessment and environmental management plan regarding a certain proposed mining development (name furnished) were submitted to the regional director of the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) within the required time-frames of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002); if not, why not; if so, how was this conclusion reached;   whether the comments were submitted after the cut off date; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?