House Chair, the Bill before the House gives effect to the safe containers convention, to which we are signatories. The Bill has two primary objectives. The first is to maintain a high level of safety of human life in the transporting and handling of containers by providing accepted test procedures and requirements with an adequate track record. The second objective is to facilitate the international transport of containers by providing uniform international safety regulations.
Although this Bill does indeed ensure that our obligations as a signatory to the convention are fulfilled, there is an aspect of the Bill which I would like to caution about. The chair of the committee has already spoken about it briefly. We recognise that the Bill is aimed at international maritime travel and the reality is that South Africa is not just one landmass. Most South Africans and even members of this House may not be aware of this. And I am not referring to Robben Island in this case.
The Republic of South Africa also comprises Marion and Prince Edward Islands. These are two small islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean. The islands have been declared special nature reserves under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, Act 57 of 2003. This group of islands is 1 769km south-east of Port Elizabeth. The reason I am talking about these annexed islands is that they have an impact on this Bill.
I recognise that this Bill is to address the safe movement of containers internationally. As a result, the movement of ships and containers between mainland South Africa and Marion and Prince Edward Islands is not covered by this Bill. The movement of sea vessels and containers between these two destinations, which is classified as domestic travel, also needs the same high safety and transportation standards, something the ANC has overlooked. Thanks to the DA for alerting South Africa about this fact. This is a real knockout, with no division. My other concern is that there may be a loophole where ships travelling internationally may use the islands as an opportunity to flout these regulations and even assist in criminal activity. This is not as far- fetched as it may sound. In 2003, for example, the media reported the arrest of a Uruguayan fishing vessel named Viarsa 1 after it had fled the length of the South Ocean, hotly pursued by an Australian sea fishery patrol boat. During that week-long saga, the supply ship, SA Agulhas, which was on her way to Marion Island with building material for the new weather station, was brought into the chase.
In principle, the Portfolio Committee on Transport has agreed to look at our concerns separately, as they do not form part of the scope of this Bill. The reason why the department is coming back on this issue is to illustrate who the real winner is, and who the real knockout in the last round is - ie the DA - bringing this concern to the fore. We support this Bill. Thank you very much. [Applause.]