DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM
DEPARTEMENT VAN OMGEWINGSAKE EN TOERISME
Ref: 02/1/5/2
MINISTER
QUESTION NO. 1024 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
A draft reply to Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to the above-mentioned question is enclosed for your
consideration.
Ms. Nosipho Ngcaba
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
DATE:
DRAFT REPLY APPROVED/AMENDED
MINISTER
DATE:
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION1024
NW1249E
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
(For written reply)
QUESTION NO. 1024
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 12 of 2009
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 28 August 2009
Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
(1)
Whether all provinces and municipalities have appointed air quality officers in terms of the National
Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, Act 39 of 2004; if not, (a) which (i) provinces and (ii)
municipalities have not made the required appointments and (b) by which date must these
appointments be made;
(2)
whether all provinces and municipalities have developed air quality management plans; if not, (a)
which (i) provinces and (ii) municipalities have not developed such plans and (b) by what date
should these plans be developed;
(3)
whether all national departments listed in Schedule 1 of the National Environmental Management
Act, Act 107 of 1998, have developed air quality management plans; if not, (a) which national
departments have not developed such plans and (b) by when must these plans have been
developed;
(4)
whether her department is confident that the Air Quality Act can be implemented successfully; if
not, what (a) obstacles to implementation have been identified and (b) plans are in place to
overcome these obstacles?
NW1249E
MRS A T LOVEMORE (DA)
SECRETARY TO PARLIAMENT
HANSARD
PAPERS OFFICE
PRESS
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION1024
NW1249E
1024. THE MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ANSWERS:
In response to the questions posed, it is important that the following responses are considered in the
context of the 2007 National Framework for Air Quality Management in the Republic of South Africa
(Government Gazette No. 30057 of 11 September 2007, Notice No. 830) which states in its Section 4.3 The implementation of the functions by the three spheres of government “…it is important that all provinces and municipalities that experience air quality issues within
their jurisdictions [as per the list of identified ‘problem’ or ‘potential problem’ areas provided in
Table 24 of the National Framework) build the necessary organisational capacity to implement
[the air quality management] functions in an efficient and effective manner and in a manner
that is commensurate with the air quality problems to be addressed… With a view to the
effective and efficient use of government resources, the creation and maintenance of
dedicated air quality management capacity in municipalities that are not listed in table 24 may
not be necessary to ensure effective air quality management. As such, provincial departments
are encouraged to liaise with such municipalities with a view to cooperative agreements in
respect of air quality management functions.”
In essence, in the interests of ensuring the effective and efficient use of government resources, the
National Framework does not require municipalities that have no air quality problems to use limited
resources to manage a “non-issue”.
(1)
To our knowledge, all provinces and municipalities listed in Table 24 of the National Framework
have appointed air quality officers, or interim air quality officers, with the exception of the Free
State which is in the process of appointing a new officer following the resignation of the previous
officer;
(2)
There is no requirement within the Air Quality Act for ‘stand-alone’ provincial or municipal air quality
management plans, i.e. each municipality must include an air quality management plan in its
integrated development plan (IDP) (Municipal Systems Act: Chapter 5) and each province
responsible for preparing an environmental implementation plan (EIP) or environmental
management plan (EMP) must include in that plan an air quality management plan. Furthermore,
the department only expects to see these plans as part of the prerequisite IDP, EIP or EMP for
provinces and municipalities listed in Table 24 of the National Framework. This notwithstanding,
the following table provides details on the status of air quality management planning –
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION1024
NW1249E
Ref.
1.
2.
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5.
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9.
1.
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5.
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7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
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15.
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32.
GOVERNMENT AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANS IN PLACE
Department /
Current Status
Municipality
Provincial
Gauteng
AQMP completed. Awaiting internal approval prior to gazetting
Free State
AQMP development process commenced in 2008, however, the project was kept
on hold since the Director left the department. The post is not yet filled. No
stakeholder meeting took place this year 2009
North West
AQMP completed. Awaiting internal approval prior to gazetting
Western Cape
AQMP under development. Expected to be finalised in November 2009
Mpumalanga
About 80% of the hot-spots areas are under the Highveld Priority Area Air Quality
Management Plan which is currently underway
Limpopo
Currently planning to develop AQMP in-house. The actual process has not yet
commenced
KwaZulu-Natal
KZN has finalised the data inventory project. AQMP process has not yet
commenced
Eastern Cape
EC has the intention to develop the AQMP, however, financial constraints prohibit
the process from going forward
Northern Cape
NC has indicated its intention based on air quality hot-spots areas such as
Kimberly and Upington. No plans as yet
Municipalities
Johannesburg
Completed and under implementation
Ekurhuleni
Completed and under implementation
Cape Town
Completed and under implementation
Tshwane
Completed and under implementation
eThekwini
Completed and under implementation
Nelson Mandela
Under development
Sedibeng
The Vaal Triangle Air-shed Priority Area Air Quality management Plan is the de
facto plan
Nkangala
The Highveld Priority Area Air Quality management Plan will be the de facto plan
Gert Sibande
The Highveld Priority Area Air Quality management Plan will be the de facto plan
Capricorn
Completed and under implementation
Ilembe District
Completed and under implementation
Municipality (Stanger)
Drankenstein
Under development
Overburg
Under development
Eden
Under development
Cape Winelands
Under development
West Coast District
The West Coast District Municipality (Western Cape) is in the planning phase of
Municipality
developing an Air Quality Management Plan and it is hoped that funds for this
purpose will be available during the 2009/2010 financial year.
Waterberg
Under development
Fezile Dabi
Under development
West Rand
Under development
Metsweding
Under development
Greater Sekhukhune
Under development
Keneth Kaunda
In the planning phase of developing their Air Quality Management Plan and
looking at availability of funds
Bojanala
Under development
Rustenburg
Complete and under implementation
Pietermaritzburg
Under development
Mangaung
Under development
Motheo
Under development
Lejweleputswa
Under development
Umhlathuze
Under development
Msunduzi
Msunduzi Municipality is currently in the process of developing a plan in
partnership with consultants (ZES) and DEAT. Output of present project would be
a baseline assessment report and gap analysis.
Buffalo City
Under development
Lesedi
Lesedi is will be covered by the Highveld Priority Area AQMP
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION1024
NW1249E
(3)
As above, there is no requirement within the Air Quality Act for ‘stand-alone’ departmental air
quality management plans, i.e. each department responsible for preparing an environmental
implementation plan (EIP) or environmental management plan (EMP) must include in that plan an
air quality management plan. Thus the department only expects to see these plans as part of the
prerequisite EIP or EMP for affected departments. This notwithstanding, the 2007 National
Framework serves as the Department of Environmental Affair’s Air Quality Management Plan.
(4)
The Department is confident that the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA)
is, and will continue to be, successfully implemented. The scarcity of skilled human resources in
the field of air quality management is a challenge. However, this is not a uniquely South African
problem but a global phenomenon. In order to address this matter the Department has been
undertaking capacity building workshops throughout all nine provinces over the past two years.
Initially this capacity building was done using external consultants but the Department has over
time developed in-house training skills. Currently all capacity building work undertaken by the
Department is achieved using in-house trainers. Additional to the training was the development of a
number of implementation manuals, guideline documents and standardized templates.
Furthermore, tailor-made, accredited air quality governance training is also offered by the
University of Johannesburg and the Cape Peninsular University of Technology.
The Department continues to offer capacity building and training, with priority given to those
municipalities specifically identified in Table 24 of the National Framework for Air Quality
Management in South Africa. Following the full entry into effect of the AQA later this year / early
next year, the officials within the national department, currently responsible for licensing, will
become available as a resource to the new licensing authorities. These officials will provide ongoing technical support and guidance. Several intergovernmental structures have been developed
over the past few years that will also assist in the transition. Provincial - Municipal Air Quality
Officers Forums have been established in all nine provinces. These forums meet on a regular basis
and these allow for the sharing of information, challenges and successes in the field of air quality
management. The National - Provincial Air Quality Officers Forum allows for communication of
important air quality matters from the national department to all the provinces, which in turn
disseminate the information through their provincial forums. For the past four years the Department
has hosted an annual Intergovernmental Air Quality Governance Lekgotla which brings together air
quality managers from all three spheres of government for a two-day conference to discuss
developments in the preparation for the full entry into effect of the AQA. The increasing attendance
at this annual event indicates that there is steady growth in the numbers of officials involved in air
quality management matters.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION1024
NW1249E