Chairperson, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it surely is a privilege to be the Minister of these two portfolios, for they smell of potential and vibrate with success and challenges.
Although South Africa attracts only 0,2% of the annual estimated 300 million tourists in the world, they bring an estimated R20 billion a year into our economy. Although we have had a 40% growth in foreign arrivals since 1994, it is clear that we have only started. We have not even started with really developing the Africa tourist industry, and this is exciting. With all this excitement and enthusiasm, the hon the Minister must also be cautioned not to be seduced by the many new possible ventures while turning a blind eye to what already exists.
Let me give hon members an example. I understand that investigations are under way to look at the Kei River area as a possible national park for the Eastern Cape. I do not understand this, because very close to this area are three very neglected and ignored parks. What is needed is for them to be formed into one national park. I am referring to the Ciskei Park, the Andre Vosloo Kudu Reserve and the Sam Knott Nature Reserve. The latter 14 farms of the Sam Knott Reserve were donated to the province. There is thus no need to start from scratch, or to buy additional land. It is all there just for the taking by the Minister.
This also poses an ideal situation in which to engage the private sector as in the case of the Kruger National Park and the other parks. Let the people who know the business and whose business it is to develop, manage and market such tourist attractions do it. The Minister and his department have many other loose strings that need tightening, and we will refer to them later on. This suggestion of the proposed expansion of the Addo Elephant National Park will have so much to offer the tourists and the environment.
Ek wil vandag eer betoon aan 'n persoon wat teen die einde van verlede jaar die Internasionale Biobeleidsorganisasie se -``Eerste Bioprys vir die nuwe Millennium'' ontvang het vir ongewenaarde prestasie op omgewingsgebied. Dr Anton Rupert van Suid-Afrika het hierdie welverdiende erkenning ontvang. Wat die toekenning nog meer merkwaardig maak, is die visie van dr Rupert met die bevordering en totstandbrenging van die wreld se eerste oorgrens- vredesparke, waarvan die Kgalagadi, soos my agb kollega hier genoem het, die heel eerste was. Hierdie konsep skep nie net moontlikhede vir die verwesenliking van ons president Mbeki se Afrika-renaissancedroom nie, maar het ook die wreld se verbeelding aangegryp. Daar is pas 'n soortgelyke park aangekondig tussen onder meer Macedoni, Griekeland en Albani. Daar word verder gekyk na die potensiaal van 'n park tussen Frankryk, Luxemburg en Duitsland, en ook tussen Oostenryk en Hongarye. Dit is wonderlik dat ons die voortou neem met die bevordering van waardes om 'n selfonderhoudende samelewing te verseker. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Today I want to pay tribute to a person who at the end of last year received the International Bio-policy Organisation's ``First Bio Prize for the new Millennium'' for unequalled achievements with regard to the environment. Dr Anton Rupert from South Africa received this well-deserved award. What makes the award even more remarkable, is Dr Rupert's vision with the promotion and introduction of the world's first cross-border peace parks, of which the Kgalagadi, as my colleague here mentioned, was the very first.
This concept does not only create possibilities for the realisation of our President Mbeki's dream of an African renaissance, but has also gripped the world's imagination. Recently a similar park has been announced between, inter alia, Macedonia, Greece and Albania. Furthermore, investigations are under way into the potential of a park between France, Luxemburg and Germany, and also between Austria and Hungary. It is wonderful that we are taking the lead in the promotion of values to ensure a self-sustaining society.]
It is, however, a fact that everything overall is not as good as it seems, as reflected in the World Wildlife Foundation's Living Planet campaign report that was released in September last year. It states that South Africa generates 8,5 tons of carbon dioxide per person per year, which is almost as bad as Western Europe's 8,6 tons.
Planet earth relies upon her forests to suck up the carbon dioxide and to turn it back into oxygen and carbon, but South Africa has already lost about 73% of its forests.
Di situasie moet gehanteer word, en daarom word die Minister se oorlog teen besoedeling verwelkom, maar wat gaan gedoen word met die steenkool by Witbank, wat steeds brand en gasse in die lug vrystel, en wat word beoog vir die bekamping van lugbesoedeling in die algemeen? Het die agb Minister die kapasiteit om lugbesoedeling, die storting van gifstowwe in riviere en die see en besoedeling in die algemeen te moniteer en te reguleer? Ek sien dit nie gereflekteer in sy begroting nie. Hoewel die agb Minister sterk uitsprake maak oor die groot sondaars van besoedeling, is hy baie versigtig oor die miljoene klein oortreders. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[This situation must be dealt with, and for that reason the Minister's war against pollution is welcomed, but what is going to be done with the coal at Witbank, which is still burning and releasing gases into the air, and what is envisaged for the combating of air pollution in general? Does the hon the Minister have the capacity to monitor and regulate air pollution, the dumping of poisonous substances in rivers and the sea, and pollution in general? I do not see this reflected in his budget. Although the hon the Minister makes strong statements about the big perpetrators of pollution, he is very careful about the millions of small offenders.]
We have accepted the fact that shoplifting is a crime but littering is also a crime. He who litters, and it does not matter how much litter it is, whether it is a factory dumping masses of waste, or the driver of a car or a taxi throwing an empty can out of the window, or a kid throwing gum or a piece of paper on the pavement, or a smoker leaving a stompie on the driveway, that person is committing a crime. It should be regarded as an offence because that individual is not only stealing from the taxpayer who has to pay millions to tidy up this mess, but he or she is also stealing the beauty of the country and, with that, stealing the good experiences of our country's tourists and also stealing a better life for all.
I acknowledge the Minister's educational project and his own involvement, but let us fast-track the process and discipline the offenders, for littering is a crime.
Die agb Minister is nou al byna 'n jaar in die portefeulje en hy het reeds talle goeie ondernemings gegee en ook self die voorbeeld gestel. Hy het ook al sekere optredes begin implementeer, maar die tyd vir verskonings oor die chaos in die visbedryf is nou verby. Daar is verskeie sake oor die visbedryf wat die Minister vandag toegelig het, en ons is dankbaar vir die stappe wat in die vooruitsig gestel word en vir die aanstelling van mnr Kleinschmidt, maar ons sal ons taak versaak as ons nie net op die volgende wys nie.
Die geskarrel in die bedryf is vererger toe besluit is om mense wat voorheen nie toegang tot die bedryf gehad het nie, te bevoordeel. Nou is dit juis hulle en veral die gevestigde vissers wat moet ly. Daar is mense wat geslagte lank al vissers is, wat net die see ken, maar wat sonder werk sit, terwyl daar steeds mense bevoordeel word wat seesiek word as hulle 'n skuit op die see sien. Ons weet mos van die handel in papierkwotas wat die Minister nou s aangepak gaan word, maar hierdie chaos veroorsaak dat stropery hoogty vier. Die Minister kan net sowel die regulasies en beperkings ophef, want die stropers steur hulle nie daaraan nie. Dit lyk egter ook of die Minister nie genoeg tyd daaraan spandeer nie. [Tyd verstreke.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The hon the Minister has now been in the portfolio for nearly a year and he has already given numerous good undertakings and has set a good example. He has also already begun implementing certain activities, but the time for excuses about the chaos in the fishing industry is now over. There are various issues regarding the fishing industry which the Minister highlighted today, and we are grateful for the steps envisaged and for the appointment of Mr Kleinschmidt, but we would be neglecting our duty if we did not just point out the following.
The scrabbling in the industry was exacerbated when a decision was taken to favour people who did not previously have access to the industry. Now it is precisely them and the established fishermen in particular who have to suffer. There are people who have been fishermen for generations, who only know the sea, but who are unemployed, while there are still people being favoured who become seasick if they see a boat on the sea. Of course we know about the trade in paper quotas which the Minister has now said will be addressed, but this chaos leads to poaching being the order of the day. The Minister may just as well abolish the regulations and restrictions, because the poachers do not pay attention to them. However, it would appear that the Minister does not spend enough time on this. [Time expired.]]