Environment, Forestry and Fisheries BRRR

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

21 October 2020
Chairperson: Mr F Xasa (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

2020 BRRRs

The Committee met virtually to consider and adopt its interim Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) on the fourth quarter reports of the Department and its entities for the 2019/20 financial year. The EFF did not support the adoption of the Report.

Members suggested that the Committee should have a timeframe which either the Minister or the Department responds to the recommendations of the Committee. This would allow some level of monitoring and evaluation. The Committee also agreed it would look into the reporting on the Fisheries and Forestry branches of the Department. Members raised the need to, in its recommendations in the Report, ensure there was monitoring of particulate matter and air quality monitoring stations, and that the Department work with Water and Sanitation for the Working on Water Programme particularly, river rehabilitation.

Meeting report

Preliminary Budgetary BRRR of the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries on the Fourth Quarter Reports of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Its Four Entities, Namely: SANparks, IWPA, SAWS; & SANBI for the 2019/20 Financial Year

The Chairperson reminded Members that the objective of the meeting was to adopt the preliminary Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) on the fourth quarter reports of the Department and its entities for the 2019/20 financial year. It was an interim Report as the Department asked for an extension of its submission of the Annual Reports. The Committee was advised to compile a preliminary Report based on the performance of the four quarters of 2019/20. Once the Report is finalized, the Committee would have to meet and discuss any matters that need to be addressed.

He pointed out that Members had the opportunity to read the draft document thoroughly as it was at their disposal.  The Committee would go through it page-by-page to enable any corrections and adjustments. All proposals and suggestions would be taken into consideration and amendments would be adopted.  He asked the Committee if there was anyone who had not received the draft document and if there were issues that needed to be addressed before engaging with the draft document.

Mr N Singh (IFP) notified the Committee that he received the document and was happy with the outline.

The Chairperson advised Members to start with the first page of the Report to see if there was a need for an amendment.

No amendments were made from page one to six

Mr Singh suggested that the Committee should have a timeframe which either the Minister or the Department responds to the recommendations of the Committee. This would allow some level of monitoring and evaluation. He asked the Chairperson to ask the Secretary to include a timeframe after the adoption of the Report.

That was noted by the Chairperson.

Mr J Lorimer (DA) was happy with the Report but asked the Chairperson to give the Committee an idea of when the final BRRR will be available. He raised a concern about the lack of reporting on the Forestry and Fisheries branches and asked the Chairperson to advise Members when the Committee would be see the accounting for the two branches and when it would be remedied.

Ms H Winkler (DA) raised that under the recommendations of the Committee, it is not only the vandalism of air quality monitoring stations, but the Committee also needs to ensure there is monitoring of particulate matter (PM2.5) and particulate matter (M10).  That is according to the Air Quality Act and international standards. Those are very hazardous to human health and all air quality monitoring stations should be monitoring for those parameters.

She added that on recommendations of the Committee, the Working for Water Programme was mentioned and the Department had said that its involvement in river rehabilitation was very limited.  There was going to be a discussion on how to save rivers from ecocide across the country. The Department would perhaps work in tandem with Water and Sanitation assisting in resources and manpower.

The Chairperson asked the Secretariat who was compiling the Report to indicate if what had been raised by Members was noted and if there were any comments.

The Secretary confirmed that it has been noted and the proposals of Members would be included in the Report before it was published in the ATC. 

The Chairperson asked Members if there were any comments on the Forestry and Fisheries branches that Mr Lorimer spoke to.

Mr N Capa (ANC) said the Report dealt with the fourth quarterly reports and was presented as such. In the first quarter report, which was presented simultaneously with the fourth quarter report, included the branches of Forestry and Fisheries.  The Fisheries and Forestry Branches were officially moved into the reconfigured Department as of 1 April.

The Chairperson noted the response and mentioned that Mr Lorimer had raised a fundamental issue as the Committee had been making assumptions on the branches of Fisheries and Forestry. With the current Report, the Committee would begin to consolidate its understanding of the two branches. The Committee would investigate if the former Department had previously reported on the two branches.  The transition should be handled properly to enable accountability of the relevant branches.

The Chairperson asked Mr Lorimer if he was satisfied with the response.

Mr Lorimer confirmed satisfaction but mentioned that he would hate for some of these branches to go unreviewed.

The Chairperson asked Members if the Committee could then adopt the amended Report.

The Report was adopted with amendments.

Mr N Paulsen (EFF) said the EFF was not in support of adoption of the Report.

The Chairperson noted and said the EFF was unsure.

Mr Paulsen said the EFF is confident that it would not support the adoption as there was no uncertainty and the revolution is very clear.

The Chairperson appreciated the objection of Mr Paulsen.

He thanked everyone for attending and participating.

Meeting was adjourned.

 

 

 

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