Chairperson, I am standing here, not as a member of the portfolio committee, but I am representing, on behalf of the party, the hon member who should be here.
This Bill, besides updating terminology in respect of the various government departments, addresses core issues surrounding safe infrastructural development within the sphere of geohazards and related perils.
Importantly, the Bill seeks to instruct the Council for Geoscience to act as a national advisory body within the above spheres, which should engender a co-ordinated and comprehensive oversight of their mandate. Additionally, the council would also be a custodian of all geotechnical information and reports, as all documents of this nature will have to be submitted by parties involved in work of this nature.
The Bill also seeks to mandate the council to undertake extensive research in the petroleum and mineral prospecting sectors that could in the future prove very advantageous to our country and her economy. South Africa is the richest country in the world in terms of the actual minerals still in the ground, and such wealth should be worth literally trillions in US dollars.
As such, it should be judiciously managed, and it is in this vein that the Council for Geoscience has a great responsibility to the people of South Africa in that it must work very closely with the Departments of Energy and Mineral Resources in order to ensure a wise and informed decision-making process with regard to all geotechnical and related matters.
In conclusion, the IFP supports the Geoscience Amendment Bill and we believe it to be a very important step in the right direction for geoscience exploration, management and oversight. We look forward to engaging with the Council for Geoscience on all aspects relating to the new mandate in terms of this legislation in the future. I thank you.
Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members, and distinguished guests, the ANC is committed to public-sector- led development to address the needs of our people and to ensure that public resources serve the developmental needs of our people.
Hon members, the Geoscience Amendment Bill must be seen against the backdrop of a broad philosophy that places the needs, health and safety of our communities at the centre of development. The Freedom Charter identified that -
The mineral wealth beneath the soil ... shall be transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole.
This requires an effective development strategy in which the state co- ordinates its efforts around key priorities. It is within this context that we need to understand the governance framework that this Bill seeks to advance.
This Bill entrenches good governance in a manner that enhances accountability and transparency through proposed structures with specific mandates.
The Bill empowers the council to be the custodian of all geotechnical data, with the purpose of compiling a complete geotechnical risk profile of the country. Concurrently, it promotes the search for and exploration of minerals within the field of geoscience.
Hon members, the Bill enables the Council for Geoscience to act as a national advisory authority in respect of geohazards related to infrastructure and geoenvironmental pollution brought about by mineral exploration.
The Bill enables the council to provide specialised geoscientific services. The amending Bill gives powers to the council to study the use of the land and seabed surfaces and to provide the analysis, which would be used as a geoscientific position. The council can advise government institutions and the public on the judicious and safe use of materials and land.
The council may review and evaluate all geotechnical reports with respect to geohazards that may affect infrastructure and the development thereof. Crucially, an appeals committee will also be set up to deal with disputes such as may arise over access to private land. The proposed legislation plans to give the council the right to enter private property in order to carry out its stipulated tasks.
The Bill proposes a balance in the representivity of the board, with members reflecting different disciplines but brought together in an interlocking manner so as to address the overall mandate. Stakeholders have been addressed in this process.
The numbers on the board have been increased, which reflects the increasing scope and task of the structure. With regard to representation of departments, representatives can be nominated by the director-general and appointed by the Minister.
The powers of the Minister give an indication of the nature and scope of the board and the strategic and sensitive nature of its work. The powers assigned to the Minister by the Bill are appropriate. Such powers are required if we are to meet the demands of the Bill itself. The nature of the powers assigned support the spirit and intention of the Bill that geohazard areas must receive close regulation and protection from the government.
Public safety, especially at the level of poor communities, cannot be compromised and left to the individual developers or the private sector alone. Our past experience is filled with examples of conflict in this area involving private companies and local communities and workers. The governance framework must eradicate such a fragmented practice.
Chairperson, in conclusion, the council will need to strengthen its role in exploration and ensure that co-ordination amongst different stakeholders is both maintained and enhanced. The development of a country, that is, the infrastructural development and protection of our public resources, are all critical areas that this amending Bill addresses. Public education on the intentions of this Bill is critical in order to ensure that communities may benefit.
Government needs to monitor and evaluate exploration processes, so as to ensure that both the state and the people benefit and that the specialised service offered by the council enhances delivery to the people. Attention must be given to strengthening the structures established by this Bill in order for the full intention and potential of the Bill to be realised.
Hon members, this Bill will bring about better co-ordinated governance, control and efficiency in line with the developmental agenda of our country. It will bring about greater accountability and transparency in accordance with international health and safety standards, particularly in respect to the most affected sections, such as poor communities, but equally to the mining sector. The ANC supports the Geoscience Amendment Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, the Council for Geoscience is mandated to gather, compile, interpret and disseminate geoscience knowledge for South Africa, as provided by the Geoscience Act, Act No 100 of 1993. This Act established the mandate and national responsibilities of the organisation.
During the past year, the Council for Geoscience has continued to execute both its statutory and mandatory programmes. The management of the new national geoscience facilities on behalf of the state is included in the statutory programme. However, the reliance of the organisation on commercially generated income to fund its annual technical programme has proved to be a risky business model.
The global economic downturn coincided with a period in the organisation that saw the completion of large projects funded by the European Union in Africa. The strong South African rand also impacted negatively on the income of the organisation during the year, as significant currency losses were experienced in the international projects.
The Council for Geoscience has to establish and strengthen partnerships with both private and public sector institutions in order to achieve its growing mandate within the context of the broader South African national and international priorities.
The organisation is faced with significant key challenges that include an increased shortage of mid-career scientists, ageing infrastructure, a decline in commercial income, inadequate statutory funding and the refocusing and aligning to address South Africa's developmental challenges.
The council will in the future be more involved in assisting the Department of Mineral Resources to seal extremely dangerous openings of abandoned and unsafe mines. Furthermore, they will be involved in addressing the acid mine drainage, specifically in Gauteng, and will advise the Department of Mineral Resources on the effective rehabilitation of mines.
The production of geoenvironmental maps is seen as a vital step towards the dissemination of information in an appropriate format to local governments in order to assist them with issues relating to land-use planning. The Council for Geoscience is doing excellent work in dolomite stability, especially where there is the continued formation of sinkholes in the Gauteng province.
The council aims to increase earthquake monitoring in the gold mining areas of South Africa with the hope of promoting research into minimising the risk of seismic rock bursts and rock falls and their impact on the lives of miners and on the flooding of abandoned mines.
New amendments to the Geoscience Act will bring new challenges in terms of the additional resources required for the implementation of these changes. This is exactly where the major problem lies. The intended extension of the mandate of the Council for Geoscience will require an additional R80 million per annum, excluding assets.
While the Council for Geoscience is struggling to fulfil its current mandate with allocated resources, the capacity required to fulfil its new intended mandate appears to be far too ambitious. The Treasury is faced with requests from other departments to address more essential needs in South Africa such as energy, housing and water supply. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, I gladly follow on after hon member Marais, a member of the committee on which I serve. Let me start by saying that the ANC supports the Geoscience Amendment Bill. This Bill seeks to amend the principal Act, the Geoscience Act of 1993, so as to strengthen the mandate of the Council for Geoscience.
This amendment will allow the council to play a greater role in research and development in the mining industry by, among other things, promoting the search for and exploitation of any minerals in South Africa; undertaking geoscientific research and related technological development; and acting as a national advisory authority in respect of geohazards related to infrastructure and development and geoenvironmental pollution arising from the mineral industry.
Public submissions were received by the committee from the relevant stakeholders, as the process requires. It was outlined that the Bill, in particular, seeks to put in place mechanisms that will deal with problems associated with building on dolomitic land. Such land is susceptible to sinkholes, as has been said before, and therefore the danger of loss of life exists. The ANC wants to ensure that the land released for development is stable.
The geotechnical industry is an integral part of urban planning, civil engineering and the mining sectors of our economy. A geotechnical investigation is a precursor to every infrastructure development project in South Africa, such as urban township development, roads, railways, sanitation, water, mine infrastructure and so on.
The geotechnical industry is therefore responsible for ensuring safe, responsible and sustainable infrastructure development. The economic growth of our country hinges on this. Where public safety is at stake, through the actions of unscrupulous and opportunistic developers, regulatory intervention is required.
Chairperson, geohazards are also increasingly important in the field of disaster management, both globally and in South Africa. The Council for Geoscience is in a strong position to provide services and consult in this area through its huge information base and considerable expertise that it possesses, contrary to what the previous speaker was saying here.
The development of a national geohazard system for South Africa addresses geohazards issues by using geological information held by the Council for Geoscience. This system plays a significant supporting role for critical stakeholders such as planning authorities, municipalities and many other public organisations.
With an estimated figure in excess of 11 000 property transactions per year, and growing as building stock increases, there's a high demand for technical data regarding the ground conditions upon which these properties could be built or already exist.
The use of historical data and local knowledge of all geohazard occurrences and their effects can provide the basis for an understanding of what could happen in the future.
Chairperson, the home building manual of the National Home Builders Registration Council prescribes the technical requirements to be met by both engineers and home builders. It requires that a competent person shall investigate any proposed township areas which are underlain by dolomite, and prepare a clearly motivated report detailing any precautionary measures that are required to reduce the risk of sinkhole formation.
The report must therefore be submitted to the Council for Geoscience for their confirmation that the investigations were conducted on the stability of dolomitic land referred to in the report.
I am not surprised that the DA is not supporting this Bill because during the public hearings that we held, the DA was at pains to try to drive the committee to appoint the board. Where have you seen that? The DA is also worried that the Minister has got this responsibility of appointing the board. The DA's problem is that it wants to control everything; it is used to that and indeed it wants to control it. [Applause.]
They have a concern about the mining company that is in the offing. It is coming, like it or not, because the wealth of this country belongs to the people of this country and not anywhere else. [Interjections.]
Your worry is that these engineering companies want the government to buy information from them about this country - that is not on. The government will establish mechanisms that are going to make it possible for the government to get information about the mineral resources of this country, Trollip. [Applause.]
Chairperson, on a point of order: Was the hon member addressing me?
I didn't hear him addressing you, hon Trollip.
Well, he said "Trollip" and I am not "Trollip", but I am "the hon Trollip".
Yes, you are "hon Trollip". If you said that, hon member, please note that the hon members are hon members. Let's address them as such that.
Thank you, Chair. The DA is worried about the capacity of the council. What capacity? We have already explained that not a single engineering or geoscience company has the requisite capacity that will deal with everything that we need, especially the information that we are talking about.
The government is there to help even the council, if it lacks the capacity, so that it can get the capacity it requires, because we want the council to deliver on its mandate.
I am very grateful on behalf of the committee that all the parties that represent constituencies of poor people understood the necessity of the Bill, except for the DA. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, firstly, I would like to say I am very disappointed in Mr Schmidt. I thought he was intelligent enough to understand the objective of this Bill.
It is interesting that the DA has been up in arms about the Information Bill and the state concealing information. However, when it is the private sector, the DA says that it has a right to conceal information on exploration. I am really disappointed. You are not consistent. [Applause.] You can say "Wha, wha, wena", but it is just like that.
The Council for Geoscience wants the state to be the custodian of any exploration that happens in the country so that anyone who wants to invest in South Africa can have access to that information. That is the purpose.
We want to promote investment and to grow this country's economy; and the mining sector must also grow. In fact, as far as the private sector is concerned, the mining companies are keen to provide that information to the state as the custodian. That's what we want the Council for Geoscience to do. I am very disappointed, Mr Schmidt.
We welcome the support from the ANC, but I also must say that we should not confuse what is in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, when it comes to the mining rights, and the custodianship of the mining data. Those are two different things.
We want to grow the economy. Research is very critical in making sure that technology in the country grows and that we understand what the state has and where to find that information. We want to make South Africa globally competitive, so that's the purpose and objective of the Council for Geoscience.
I must respond to hon Kotsi: We recognise the issue of professional bodies, but it must also be open. It cannot only be one institution for life because then you'll have ancestors who serve on the Council for Geoscience for ever - 30 years! Why don't we give other people a chance also to participate? That's the issue. This person you are talking about has been idlozi [an ancestor]. [Applause.] We cannot have amadlozi [ancestors]. Space must be created for others.
We welcome the support of the IFP.
I agree with Mr Marais that when it comes to the issues of skills and infrastructure there are challenges, but we are addressing that with Treasury to making sure that the Council for Geoscience can be properly funded.
I hope that through the new system of budgeting you will also play a role in making sure that we get better resources from Treasury. I hope that you will contribute positively.
With this particular Bill, we welcome the support of the ANC. I also want to thank the chairperson for the appropriate and important public hearings he held and that he managed to steer this ship in the right direction. The Council for Geoscience is very important when it comes to making sure that we know what is where. If it were not for the Council for Geoscience, we wouldn't know about those areas in the country that are dolomitic. Today we have this knowledge because of this institution, hence we now need to capacitate it much more.
In conclusion, Mr Schmidt, do not mix up state-owned mining companies with the Council for Geoscience; it is going to come and you will understand its role.
There are no blurred areas between the Council for Geoscience and the state- owned mining company. It will come and compete, as we've said, with the rest of the private sector. We don't have the intention of taking short cuts.
It will go through due diligence like any other company and it will apply to the Department of Mineral Resources for opportunities like any other private company.
Let's not mislead the public into thinking that the lines are blurred. There is nothing that is blurred; everything is clear. [Interjections.]
Hon Ellis, you're the oldest member of this Parliament, you must teach us how to behave. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr Chairman, on a point of order, sir: The hon Minister who has just spoken is misleading the House. I am not the oldest member of this House.
I agree!
Debate concluded.
Bill read a second time (Democratic Alliance dissenting).