Pretoria – Government will intensify its fight against perpetrators of environmental crimes, says Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa.
“As part of our commitment to sustainable development, we will continue to look for new and innovative ways to remain always a step ahead of the perpetrators of environmental crimes,” Minister Molewa said on Tuesday.
She said criminal syndicates evolved and adapt their methods which meant that government had to evolve and adapt its strategies so it could always be one step ahead.
“We are battling well-resourced, well-funded criminal enterprises with a callous disregard for not just environmental protection law, but any law,” Minister Molewa said at the Crime Stoppers International Conference in Cape Town.
She said 93 percent of Africa’s white rhino and 39 percent of Africa’s black rhino were found in the country.
Criminal syndicates were targeting the rhino and the elephant but species such as the abalone, cycads, birds and reptiles were also under threat.
“There is no quick fix for the poaching problem. It does not lie in increased militarisation in areas where rhino populations are under threat.
“Neither does it lie in simply telling end-user countries to stop the sale of rhino horn products,” Minister Molewa said.
She said Cabinet had decided to implement a more vigorous integrated strategic management approach aimed at reducing the threat to rhinos and the biological management of the species.
“This includes strategic translocation of rhino to locations where they are safer and more conducive to breeding.
“We have introduced and where necessary amended legislation to address the problem,” Minister Molewa said.
She said the National Environmental Management Laws First Amendment Act was signed into law in July 2013.
The Act had strengthened regulatory and enforcement provisions to prevent the abuse of the hunting permitting system.
It included provisions to defer, suspend and cancel permits under certain circumstances, Minister Molewa said.
She said the annual National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report, which was launched this month, offered a promising glimpse into the future management of environmental crimes.
“Things are getting better. More cases of non-compliance with environmental laws are being reported and the number of convictions for violators is on the rise,” Minister Molewa said. – SAnews.gov.za
