Honourable House Chairperson, the ACDP is cognisant that the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment plays a pivotal role in safeguarding South Africa’s natural heritage, regulating environmental impact, and promoting sustainable resource use.
While the Auditor-General has noted that the Department made significant strides in the quality of audited financial statements, the BRRR highlights key financial and operational concerns across its five entities. The report highlights the underfunding of infrastructure maintenance and anti-poaching operations threatening the ecological integrity and tourism viability of our National Parks. It also notes persistent budget shortfalls that hinder community-based conservation and delays eco-tourism development projects in the Isimangaliso Wetland Park Authority.
Regarding the South African Weather Service, it is concerning that ageing radar systems and insufficient capital investment are seen to be compromising early warning capabilities amid intensifying climate risks.
Notably absent from the BRRR is the recent controversy surrounding the continuing illegal logging in state forests, particularly in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal where investigative reports have exposed syndicate-linked operations exploiting regulatory loopholes.
As kingdom builders, the ACDP joins calls for urgent interdepartmental intervention and transparency in forestry permits. This issue demands parliamentary scrutiny beyond the current review.
I thank you.
