Chairperson, hon members, the main objectives of the environmental affairs programmes are to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and to protect the environment through the ecologically sustainable, economically efficient and socially equitable use of the environment in the Eastern Cape.
This is in line with the destiny of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism as depicted in the budget presented by the hon the Minister. Of the nine provinces the Eastern Cape is currently the third most popular summer holiday destination for domestic tourists and the fifth most popular winter holiday destination for foreign tourists from southern Europe, with the majority of visitors coming from the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
A tourism indaba was held late last year with the intention of bringing together all role-players to identify critical issues pertaining to the province, especially where these hinder growth in tourism. We managed to develop a way forward which will be easily monitored and evaluated. This is the task of the Eastern Cape Tourism Board, as they are the ring leaders in tourism.
The role of the provincial government is to formulate policies conducive to prosperity in tourism. This may be achieved by developing further our draft Green Paper on Tourism into at least a White Paper. It will also play a facilitating role by devising mechanisms for safety and security, providing incentives for the private sector to invest in tourism and providing assistance to emerging entrepreneurs.
Local government is responsible for land-use planning in urban and rural areas, the provision and maintenance of tourist service sites and attractions, the marketing and promotion of local attractions, the provision of road signage and facilitating the participation of our local communities.
Currently, interaction with other provinces is minimal. However, the national Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and members of the South African tourism industry convene meetings and co-ordinate issues, thus making it possible for an exchange of ideas on issues of common interest.
This province had a well-established commercial fishing sector worth about R566 million in 1997. The economic potential of inshore or coastal living marine resources is, however, underdeveloped and offers significant potential to improve the livelihoods of coastal communities in the Eastern Cape. Outside of the coastal cities and towns, the coastal economy is essentially nature-based, and comprised of agriculture, tourism, fishing and mariculture.
Sustainable environmental management and development support to these sectors is essential for economic development. Sustainable resource utilisation support to these sectors is essential, for economic benefit is currently threatened by weak environmental management and noncompliance, for example poaching, a lack of institutional support for economic development based on these resources, poor institutional co-ordination and a lack of strategic sector development planning.
Under apartheid commercial access to marine resources was denied to black South Africans, and a clear policy to develop coastal communities based on marine resources did not exist. Policies to address the imbalances of the past and to promote sustainable resource utilisation are contained in the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998, and the White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development.
These policies create opportunities for the development of coastal communities and the coastal economy. However, delivery on the goals of this Act has been limited due to a lack of policy on strategies for implementation. In particular, policy on the roles of various Government departments and institutions is lacking.
The economic growth potential of the Eastern Cape living marine resources is substantial. Opportunities include the development of small-scale entrepreneurs from coastal communities and optimising the benefits of our natural endowment to promote tourism, and the associated job-creation opportunities. The wellbeing and sustainability of living marine resources is essential to the growth of tourism. Mariculture is an undeveloped opportunity that requires commitment to technological development and transfer. The sustainability of the economic potential of the endowment of living marine resources in the Eastern Cape province is threatened by poor environmental management, noncompliance, poaching and a lack of institutional support for development based on these resources.
Yiyo loo nto sivuya namhlanje xa uMphathiswa esixelela ukuba kukho abantu abazizigidi ezine abahlala kufutshane nonxweme, izityebi, ooSambuntsuntsu bezityebi, kwakunye nabo bahlwempuzeke ngeyona ndlela. Sibe novuyo ngale ntsasa xa simva esithi iSebe lizimisele ukuyilungisa loo nto. (Translation of Xhosa paragraph follows.)
[That is why we are happy today when the hon the Minister tells us that there are four million people staying along the coast, rich people at that, whose wealth is immeasurable, as well as those who are very poor. We were very happy this morning to hear that the Department is determined to correct this anomaly.]
Policy and strategy in the form of sector development plans are required in order to create the necessary framework and institutional support for optimising the economic potential of the province's living marine resources.
Xa ndigqibezela [In conclusion], we have no doubt that the challenges ahead of us are both complex and immense, but we believe that the holistic approach that we have adopted will work for the Eastern Cape. [Applause.]