Hon Chairperson and hon members of this august House, good morning. Hon Chairperson, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans introduced the Hydrographic Bill in Parliament on 20 June 2018.
Hydrography and not hydrophobia is a branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers. Since February 1995, South Africa is a signatory of the International Maritime Organization convention under the auspices of the United Nations.
This convention monitors and regulates safe navigation of ships and other modes of transport moving around the oceans or waterways of member states. As a signatory, we are required to adhere to the Safety of Life at Sea regulations and address the gap within our legal framework in relation to having a duly authorised hydrographic