NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 334
Question 334 for written reply: National Council of Provinces, Mr W F Faber
(DA-NC) to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries:
1) What are the terms of reference for the allocation of each experimental
abalone permit which has been issued in the Eastern Cape to the (a)
company to which the permit was awarded, (b) divers and (c) community
members with such permits;
2) whether she will provide copies of the agreements between (a) her
department and the companies to which the permits were issued, (b) the
organised fishermen and the local permit holders and (c) the local
permit holders and the communities;
(3) (a) who are the local (i) community representatives and (ii) permit
holders, (b) how were these local representatives elected and (c) how
will they benefit in this regard? CW436E
REPLY:
(1) An experimental abalone permit was issued to OCAD (Overberg
Commercial Abalone Divers) on behalf of the beneficiaries. The terms of
reference for the allocation of the permit to OCAD included them being
required to be a registered company, having to have worked with
qualified divers, and having to have had a valid Fish Processing
Establishment permit to process abalone.
(2) Yes. With regard to the agreement between (a) the department and
OCAD, the conditions applicable to the permit (called permit
conditions) are attached to this answer; with regard to the agreement
between (b) the organised fishermen and (c) the local permit holders
and the local permit holders and the communities, the department can
make the information available through the submission of a request in
terms of PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act 2 of
2000). This information is privileged and the department needs to
request the affected partiesâ consent before the information is
released. The requester should complete a PAIA request form which
should be submitted to the departmentâs Fisheries Branch in Cape Town
for processing.
(3) (a) (i) The following people are community representatives: Noservice
Solomzi, Ntandazo Gaqu, Nophakamile Njatha, Nochristmas Gagu, Msdoda
Sikade, Mzwanele Tokwe, Potyotile Mkhululi, Zola Booi, Ayanda M Yekomi,
Sydney Macilela, Noel Kurat, Mawanda Ndongeni, and Chris Jordaan. (ii)
OCAD is the permit holder. (b) Local representatives were elected by
beneficiaries at the fishersâ open meetings. (c) Community
representatives will benefit in the same way all other beneficiaries
will.