House Chairperson, the ACDP welcomes the Marine Oil Pollution (Preparedness, Response and Cooperation) Bill as a necessary step to align South Africa with the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, 1990. Clause 5 of the Bill requires risk assessments, a national contingency plan, and site-specific response measures to protect our fragile marine environment.
We note that the Department of Transport, in its Memorandum on the Objects of the Bill, emphasises the importance of preparedness and cooperation, recognising that oil spills are not only environmental disasters but also economic threats to fisheries, tourism, and coastal livelihoods.
In the past year, oral submissions to the Select Committee on Transport highlighted delays in updating the national oil spill contingency plan and concerns about the adequacy of equipment inventories.
Social media commentary has also criticised the Department for slow responses to smaller coastal pollution incidents, raising questions about capacity and transparency.
As Kingdom-builders, the ACDP supports this Bill, but urges that implementation be monitored rigorously. Preparedness must matched by enforcement. South Africa must not only sign conventions but demonstrate integrity in protecting environments and safeguarding communities from the grave repercussions of marine oil pollution; failure to do so is proved to be devastatingly expensive not only to the economy but to the very morale of a nation.
I thank you.
