Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
(a) (i) When and (ii) how was the matter of a possible swap or transfer of nature reserves between provinces and the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment or SANParks first officially raised with the Western Cape, (b) what are the details of the (i) composition, (ii) mandate and (iii) frequency of the meetings of the task team that is looking into this matter and (c) what are the preliminary views of his Department and CapeNature on the possible transfer of nature reserves between the Western Cape and the national Department or SANParks?
- (i) and (ii) The discussion on the rationalisation of protected areas started in 2021. To date there has been no discussion on swaps or transfer of nature reserves between provinces and the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment or SANParks.
The Province has thus not identified nature reserves for acquisition from SANParks nor has nature reserves to be relinquished under provincial government to the care of national government and/or SANParks in a possible land swap been identified.
(b) (i) The Rationalisation Task Team is composed of the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and representation of all nine provinces from Provincial Government Departments and public entities involved in environmental and biodiversity management. The South African Local Government Association also serves on the Task Team.
(ii) The mandate of the of the Rationalisation Task Team is to put together a detailed terms of reference to appoint an external service provider to facilitate the development of a feasibility study, cost benefit analysis of options and develop an implementation plan towards the institutional improvement and possible reorganisation of biodiversity conservation and protected area management. The tender was advertised and three bids were received of which none were compliant to the specification.
(iii) Two Rationalisation Task Team meetings have been held to date – in February and August. Both were held in 2021. No meetings have been held in 2022.
(c) CapeNature believes there may be room to discuss aspects of protected area rationalisation in the Western Cape between CapeNature and SANParks. Any arrangement would have to be based on the feasibility and practicality of the case. The national protected area rationalisation discussion continues.
