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REPORT TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

ON THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL

ADVISORY FORUM (NEAF) ANNUAL REPORT 2006/2007

16 OCTOBER 200716 OCTOBER 2007

NEAF ANNUAL REPORTNEAF ANNUAL REPORT

• NEAF is required to submit its work plan for the next year, according to NEMA, Section 6(3)

• 2006/2007 NEAF Annual Report was tabled in parliament end of Aug 2007

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NEAF MANDATENEAF MANDATE

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The establishment, composition and functioning of the

National Environmental Advisory Forum (NEAF) is a

requirement in terms of Chapter 2, Institutions of the

National Environmental Management Act (NEMA),

107 of 1998

NEAF ROLENEAF ROLENEAF’s role is defined in NEMA to:

• Advise the Minister on any matter concerning environmental management and governance [specifically the setting and achievement of objectives and priorities for environmental governance, and appropriate methods of monitoring compliance with the principles as set out in Section 2 of NEMA]

• Inform the Minister of the views of the stakeholders regarding the application of the principles set out in Section 2 of NEMA

• Respond to ad hoc requests by the Minister • Draw the Minister’s attention, on own initiative and after consultation

with the DG, to any matter concerning environmental management that requires attention

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NEAF COMPOSITIONNEAF COMPOSITIONNEAF is composed according to NEMA, Sections 4 & 5

• Members should be 15 and not less than 12 in number• Members are appointed by the Minister through nominations

in the Government Gazette and public media. Comments on nominations by MECs of the nine provinces, committees of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

• Current NEAF members are fourteen in number

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NEAF COMPOSITIONNEAF COMPOSITIONNEAF represents the following stakeholder groups:1. Organised labour2. Organised business3. Non-governmental organisations and community-based

organisations4. Youth 5. Persons that have specialised expertise and skills necessary to

enable the Forum to carry out its functions6. Consideration was also given to the appointment of women

and youth, and ensuring representation of vulnerable and disadvantaged persons

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NEAF MEMBERSNEAF MEMBERS

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Sector Member

Business Mr Max Sisulu (Alternate member Ms Kate Farina) Mr Andre Fourie (Alternate member Mr Pancho Ndebele)

NGO Mr Malcolm Powell (Alternate member Mr Bryan Havemann) Mr Tony Frost (Alternate member Mr Andrew Muir) Mr Ari Seirlis (Alternate member Ms Amor Malan)

CBO Mr Thabo Madihlaba (Alternate member Ms Jessica Wilson) Ms Josephine Makelefane (Alternate member Ms Lindiwe Mthimkulu)

Labour Mr Bheki Ntshalintshali (Alternate member Mr David Morake)

Specialised Skills and expertise

Dr John Ledger (Alternate member Dr Nick King and Ms Yolan Friedmann) Dr Zarina Patel (Alternate member Professor Mary Scholes) Ms Mariam Mayet (Alternate member Professor Melodie Mcgeoch) Ms Khungeka Njobe (Alternate member Dr Joy Learner and Ms Carmel Mbizvo) Ms Angela Andrews (Alternate member Ms Louise Du Plessis)

Youth Ms Vuyiswa Tulelo (Alternate member Ms Patronella Linders)

NEAF TERM OF OFFICENEAF TERM OF OFFICENEAF’s Term of Office is defined in NEMA, Section 5, stipulating

• Conditions of Appointment of the Forum• Member of the Forum holds office for a period of two years• Term of office of a member may be re-appointed for one

further term

Current term [NEAF’s first term since inception in 2005]NEAF’s first term: 2005 – 2007NEAF’s first term extended with one year: Until July 2008 [to complete activities as part of the original work plan ]

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NEAF MEETINGSNEAF MEETINGS

• The NEAF constitution requires at least 1 meeting per quarter

• NEAF held six meetings during 2006/2007 - this included 2 subcommittee workshops

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NEAF MEETINGSNEAF MEETINGS

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Date Description Key focus of meeting

12 June 2006

River Meadows, IreneNEAF Special Meeting of the Chairpersons

Discussions of the Draft Work plan and Annual Report by Subcommittee Chairpersons

27 June 2006

River Meadows, IreneNEAF Main Quarterly meeting

To obtain inputs and comments from the Deputy Minister and Minister and DEAT

Senior Management on the Work Plan for 2006/2007

3 October 2006

River Meadows, Irene

Think Tank Workshop, Mainstreaming

Environment into AsgiSA

Expert workshop to formulate advice to the Minister on the Mainstreaming of

Environmental considerations into the AsgiSA programme

23 October 2006Brainstorm Workshop, Pollution & Waste

Subcommittee

Brainstorming session on strategies for the implementation of the Atmospheric

Pollution Prevention Act and an update and briefing on the Waste Management Bill

to provide the Minister with recommendations in this regard.

7 November 2006

CSIR Convention Centre NEAF Main Quarterly meeting

Progress update with regards to the implementation of the work plan and the related

procurement issues and feedback on the outcomes of the expert workshops held with

regards to Pollution and Waste and the AsgiSA

26 February 2007

DEAT Offices,

Pretoria

NEAF Special meeting of the Chairpersons

Discussions on the progress and procurement of the work plan and the collaboration

between DEAT and NEAF

NEAF FUNCTIONING NEAF FUNCTIONING

As required by NEMA, NEAF developed the following:

1. NEAF Constitution (Gazette 29999) dated 20 June 20072. NEAF’s Operational Guidelines3. Work plan to Parliament (2007/2008) – developed as part of a

larger process of consultation

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NEAF’S APPROACH TO NEAF’S APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTNIG ITS MANDATEIMPLEMENTNIG ITS MANDATE

1. July 2005 – NEAF defined, in consultation with DEAT and based on the Minister’s priority areas, previously defined with him in May 2005, key areas that required advice

2. These key areas were captured in a work plan 2006/2007 where NEAF developed projects to formulate recommendations to the Minister which is based on addressing gaps in policy frameworks and implementation

3. In order to ensure that advice given to the Minister is sound and sustainable, the sourcing of additional experts to support NEAF to formulate recommendations to the Minister was necessary

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NEAF PROGRESSNEAF PROGRESS

2005-2006 [Establishment of NEAF]Establishment of NEAF announced in Parliament 24 February 2005• Establishing Subcommittees

1. Subcommittee: Biodiversity and Biosafety2. Subcommittee: Coastal and Marine Management 3. Subcommittee: Energy and Climate Change4. Subcommittee: Pollution and Waste Management5. Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA

• Draft NEAF Constitution• Draft NEAF Operational Guidelines

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NEAF PROGRESSNEAF PROGRESS2006-2007

• Developed work plan• Tabled first Annual Report and work plan to parliament• Workshop on AsgiSA and Mainstreaming of the Environment • Workshop on Pollution and Waste Management

2007-2008 [Currently in process]

• Implementation of work plan to formulate advise to the Minister

• Constitution Gazetted 14

NEAF WORK PLAN 2007/2008NEAF WORK PLAN 2007/2008The current work plan for 2007/2008 builds on the projects contained in the workplan for 2006/2007 which was formulated based on the areas of focus asinfluenced by the Minister’s priorities and key focus areas:

1. Biodiversity and Biosafety 2. Marine and Coastal 3. Energy and Climate Change 4. Pollution and Waste and5. NEAF support to the Minister in terms of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) addressing the mainstreaming of the

environment

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NEAF WORK PLAN 2007/2008NEAF WORK PLAN 2007/2008

The projects of these focus areas have been further refined, taking cognisance of:

• Inputs from the Minister, Deputy Minister and Senior DEAT Officials at the NEAF meeting - 27 June 2006

• Terms of References (TOR) and responses from the various consultants were circulated to each of the DDGs in the Department to ensure that no duplication exists

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NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Subcommittee: Biodiversity and Biosafety

Focus of the work plan include:• Develop recommendations to the Minister on: Public participation in the

context of the of the regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms in SA [investigating the effective, fair, transparent, practical and cost effective public participation mechanisms ]

• This will be done through the development of a discussion document + national workshop on 5 November 2007

Status: Discussion document in process to be drafted. Discussion documentworkshopped 5 Nov 2007. Recommendations to be concluded end of the current NEAF term 17

NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Subcommittee: Coastal and Marine Management

Focus of the work plan include:Formulate recommendations to the Minister on: Effective alternatives for small scale fishers, focusing on sites in the following three specific areas: West Coast. Southern Cape and Wild Coast, to serve as case studies for the development of recommendations for the rest of the coastline

Status: Tender process. Recommendations to be concluded end of the current NEAF term 18

NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Subcommittee: Energy and Climate Change

Focus of the work plan include:Development of Recommendations to the Minister : Obstaclesand Barriers to Renewable Energy - Framework to prioritise renewable energy and address barriers

Status: First draft circulated for comments. Recommendations to be concluded end of the current NEAF term

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NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Subcommittee: Pollution and Waste Management

Focus of the work plan include:Workshop was held on Monday, 23 October 2006 at the Premier Conference Centre, Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg which addressed: 1. Critical challenges and creative strategies in the implementation of the

National Environmental Management NEM Air Quality Act2. Review of hazardous waste in South Africa in the context of the proposed

Hazardous Waste Bill

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NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Subcommittee: Pollution and Waste Management [continue]Recommendations from the workshop covered the following broad issues:• Methodology and criteria for decision-making in setting emission

standards • Public participation in the setting of emission standards• Role of consideration of technology in the setting of emission standards• Use of domestic polluting fuels• Climate change• National technical capacity building unit• Amendments to provisions of NEMA Sections 25, 26 and 28

Status: Feedback on the recommendations put forward from the above workshop, will inform the current work plan 21

NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA

Focus of the work plan include:• Facilitate South Africa’s sustainable development by mainstreaming

environmental considerations into AsgiSA• Compile a discussion document, based on the outcomes of the workshop

Addressing the Mainstreaming of the Environment into Development: Issues & Opportunities Relating to AsgiSA (Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative South Africa) held on Tuesday 3 October 2006 at the Twin Rivers Lodge in Irene, Pretoria, which will form the basis for engagement between key economic and environmental experts and stakeholders with respect to sustainable economic development

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NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSASpecific recommendations include:Follow up partnership dialogue initiative between the Deputy President’s Office, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), DEAT, NEAF and a selected panel of sustainable development experts. These discussion will include:• The key environmental issues in relation to AsgiSA to include macro level linkages with the

environment• Concrete interventions from an environmental perspective in each AsgiSA programme and

project• Requirements in terms of environmental skills development in the context of AsgiSA taking

the JIPSA initiative into account• Macro level linkage to include AsgiSA, SEA ,EIA, sustainable development and infrastructure

and investment in natural capital• More detailed interventions will include the sectoral interventions linked to issues such as

water, soils and biodiversity and should include concrete proposals on the sector plans and the projects

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NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008NEAF PROJECT PLAN 2007/2008Special project: Mainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSAGeneral recommendations include:• Need for dialogue, between the environmental and scientific community to assist

with knowledge and technology for sustainable solutions in the context of AsgiSA• Conduct environmental/economic risk analysis for AsgiSA’s development projects • Government up-scaling investments in natural capital • Apply environmental planning and sustainable project design tools, such as

Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) in AsgiSA process• Attract and retain specialised skills in the areas of restorative environmental

science and planning, and resource economics , specifically tailored to deal with the management of environmental impacts arising from large infrastructure programmes

Status: First draft of discussion document circulated for comments. Letter from theMinister, sent to the Deputy President’s Office to pursue negotiations 24

NEAF INFO SUBMITTED TO THE NEAF INFO SUBMITTED TO THE MINISTER 2006/2007MINISTER 2006/2007

• NEAF Annual Report + work plan 2005/2006• Report on the Summary of the Proceedings: ‘Critical Challenges in the

Implementation of the NEM Air Quality Act’ held by the National Environmental Advisory Forum Subcommittee on Pollution & Waste, on 23 October 2006

• Summary Report of the Proceedings: Mainstreaming of the Environment into Development Issues and Opportunities relating to AsgiSA (Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative South Africa) , held on 3 October 2006

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NEAF RECOMMENDATIONSNEAF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MINISTER 2006/2007 TO THE MINISTER 2006/2007

Memorandum submitted to the Minister by NEAF, dated 4 December 2006, with the following recommendations to the Minister for consideration and noting:1. The work currently under way with respect to the key focus areas of the

Subcommittees: Energy and Climate Change, Biodiversity and Biosafety, Coastal and Marine Management

2. The Subcommittee on Pollution and Waste Management submitted overarching issues containing recommendations to the Minister

3. The Minister to endorse further engagement with the Deputy Presidents Office regarding the Mainstreaming of the Environment into the AsgiSA

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NEAF BUDGET REPORT 2006/2007NEAF BUDGET REPORT 2006/2007NEAF functions in terms of budget according to NEMA, Sections 5 & 6

NEAF budget provided by DEAT :TOTAL BUDGET FOR 2006/07 : R 1 200 000.00TOTAL EXPENDITURE: R 310 307.00 BUDGET NOT ALLOCATED: R 889 693.00

The following annual expenditures included: • Logistical support for meetings (including venue, flights, shuttle, etc) R 70 179.00• Remuneration of the NEAF members R 69 454.00• Further research and support that the NEAF may require (consultants) R 135 674.00• Communication costs expenses (telephone conferencing, courier etc) R 35 000.00

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NEAF BUDGET 2007/2008NEAF BUDGET 2007/2008Overall operational budget• Remuneration for NEAF members for the annual meetings + logistic

support for the meetings including flights and venues • R 192 920.00Subcommittees budget• Remuneration for NEAF members for the subcommittee meetings +

logistic support for national workshops (if applicable) + including flights and venues + printing of publications + appointment of experts

• R 846 820.00Contingency• R 150 000.00

Total budget 2007/2008 (excl vat) = R 1 189 740.0028

CONCLUSION - CHALLENGESCONCLUSION - CHALLENGESKey Challenges of NEAF:

• 2005/ 2006 this was mainly dedicated to the setting up and establishing of NEAF – a challenging task

• Much time devoted to finalising work plan and implementing projects• 2006/2007 the appointment of additional experts for the subcommittee work

could not be approved within the financial year • Lack of understanding of the role of NEAF at various levels• NEAF members devote their time to NEAF only on a part time basis• Lack of clarity of how roles and responsibilities are shared with the DEAT

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CONCLUSION - VALUECONCLUSION - VALUEValue of NEAF:• NEAF is a valuable component of the national environmental

governance system• Much expertise and experience resides in the members of

NEAF• The success of NEAF depends on the effectiveness of the link

between NEAF and DEAT and the Minister• The success of the relationship depends on the utilisation of

the skills in NEAF by DEAT and the Minister

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NEAF CONTACTSNEAF CONTACTS

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NEAF CONTACTSNEAF CONTACTS

NEAF CHAIR: Khungeka Njobe NEAF DEPUTY CHAIR: Dr John Ledger

NEAF SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS: Biodiversity and Biosafety : Mariam Mayet Coastal and Marine Management : Tony FrostEnergy and Climate Change: Andre Fourie Pollution and Waste Management: Angela AndrewsMainstreaming of Environment into the AsgiSA: Khungeka Njobe

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NEAF CONTACTNEAF CONTACT

NEAF SECRETARIAT:Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) Office of the Chief Operating OfficerEmail: emmarieotto@mweb.co.zaFax: 086 617 8036Enquiries: Emmarie Otto

33Graphics : Source Annual Report Profit Creative