Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Developmental Planning

1. To date no applications have been received by the Department for the construction or upgrade of slipways at Duiwenhoksrivier, or in the greater Hessequa Municipal area in terms of the National Environmental Management Act: Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 (GN No. R 982; 983; 984 and 985 of 4 December 2014) (“EIA Regulations”).  As these slipways already exist, an EIA authorisation may only be required upon upgrading of the site beyond its existing footprint.  Any maintenance of slipways may be addressed as part of the launch site operational plan that will be developed in terms of the Public Launch Site Regulations in collaboration between the Department and the relevant municipalities and will be submitted for applicable approvals if and where required.
2. The Department may only consider an application in terms of the EIA Regulations if the listed activities have been triggered and environmental authorisation is required prior to the commencement of activities.  The EIA Regulations may be applicable where slipways are proposed to be upgraded beyond the existing footprint.

The Department may no longer consider applications for the licensing of boat launching sites in terms of the National Environmental Management: Control of Vehicles in the Coastal Zone Regulations, 2001 (GN No. R. 1399 of 21 December 2001) as these regulations were repealed with the promulgation of the Public Launch Site Regulations on 27 June 2014.  The Public Launch Site Regulations introduces a new listing system which has replaced the old ‘application based system’.  As such the MEC with the Department is obliged to publish a list of public launch sites, develop an operational plan per site as well as to identify Management Bodies to operate the listed sites within one year of the date of publication of the new Public Launch Site Regulations.  In terms of the Public Launch Site Regulations, only organs of state may be appointed as management bodies and as such municipalities will be appointed as the relevant management bodies of public launch sites.

This process of listing public launch sites has already been initiated by the Department and extensive engagement with the municipalities as well as with the public in the form of meetings and 19 public engagements throughout January 2015 was conducted.  The second draft list has been published for public consideration in the Provincial Gazette and through the media.  A copy of the English advertisement is attached as Annexure B.  The closing period for any comments to be submitted to the Department is 30 April 2015 where after the final list will be prepared for the consideration and adoption by the MEC.  The final list of public launch sites will be published in the media and in the Provincial Gazette.

3. To date no applications have been received by the Department for the upgrading of the slipway in Gouritzmond.  The Eden and Hessequa Municipalities are currently engaging regarding the future management of the estuary and relevant infrastructure within it in terms of the responsibilities as prescribed in the Integrated Coastal Management: National Estuarine Management Protocol, 2013 (GN No. 341 of 10 May 2013).