Hon Chair, thank you very much Minister for your detailed answer. Minister, as we know that Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries sector is one of the most untransformed sectors. What progress has the department made in terms of ensuring that these historical legacies are transformed and further ensure the benefits derived in these sectors are enjoyed by all? Thank you so much, Chair.
The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: I think it's a
new question, but I can answer you, hon member. In fisheries, we are currently in the process of allocating 15-year fishing rights to 10 000 small fisher persons who are organised in co-operative societies along all of our coastal communities. I began the programme two weeks ago in the Ugu District in KwaZulu-Natal. In the month of November, we will be dealing with fishing rights of small communities in the Eastern Cape and we hope, in December to be addressing the same issues in the Western Cape. Obviously, many of
these small fisher persons are women and they would also be young people who would be involved in these programmes.
With regard to forestry, this is an area that we are currently working on. We believe that there are opportunities to hand out land to historically disadvantaged communities in the forestry sector. We also see that there are opportunities to have partnerships with the major forestry companies that would further beneficiate women, youth and other people from historically disadvantaged communities. Thank you.
Xitsonga: