Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts: 100 Days in Office

Honourable Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George;
Honourable Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Mr. Narend Singh;
Members of the media;

Good morning

Firstly, I wish to thank President Cyril Ramaphosa for appointing me to this important portfolio on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as part of the Government of National Unity (GNU). 

I wish to assure The President and the people of South Africa that we are working together to deliver on the key strategic priorities of the GNU, which are: to drive inclusive growth and job creation; to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living; and to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.

The first 100 days in office have been a fascinating experience for me. This has been a great opportunity for me to delve into the issues within Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment sector. I have had an opportunity to familiarise myself and to better understand the department, its legal mandate and core business within the domestic and international context.   

But most importantly, the first 100 days in the office have given me an opportunity to interact with staff and all role players within the sector. Some of the key stakeholders I have had an opportunity to engage with include the forestry sector, traditional leaders, members of firefighting sector, community forest owners,  young people who have been trained through a range of our initiatives and partnerships, field rangers who work within our entities,  such as the South African National Parks (SANParks),  and the South African Weather Services (SAWS), who are industry players within our country’s weather forecasting and climate sector. 

Together with my colleagues Minister Dr Dion George and Deputy Minister Narend Singh, we kicked off our 100 days programme by tabling the Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s Budget Vote to Parliament on 15 July 2024. It is important to recognise that we delivered our department’s budget vote in a month where we celebrated our national unifying figure in the form of uTata Madiba – which seemed to tie in well with our mandate of unifying our people through the Government of National Unity. 

We are hitting the ground running on the implementation of the three key priorities of the GNU. The Forestry sector has both opportunities and complex challenges. Hence, I have kicked started the inaugural stakeholder engagement drive on the implementation of the National Veld and Forest Fires Act, 1998. This forms part of the consultation process which seeks to address the identified challenges faced in the programme as well as to address legislative transformation plans that the department wants to roll out in the future.

The first stakeholder engagement was attended by the North West Provincial Government, its District Municipalities, North West Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) chairpersons, and the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association (NWUFPA), as well as Kishugu Joint Venture (The service provider of the DFFE, responsible for the planning, management, control and implementation of the Working on Fire Programme).

The second stakeholder engagement took place in Mangaung on 06 September 2024 and it was with the Free State Provincial Government and the Forestry stakeholders in that province.

The DFFE, as the custodian of the National Veld and Forest Fires, is committed to ensuring that the FPAs established in terms of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act, 1998 (Act No. 101 of 1998) contribute effectively to the prevention and fighting of fires in the country. 

The FPAs are confronted with challenges spanning from, meaningful participation of key stakeholders such as landowners and traditional leaders on whose land fire may start and spread to adjacent properties, funding and inadequate equipment for fighting fires. 

Through these stakeholder engagements, I have instructed the officials to address payment delays for Fire Protection Associations, resolve the issue on the use of government firefighting vehicles, training for Fire Protection Associations and managed to clarify the roles of different stakeholders. In essence, I was satisfied with the honest discussions and noted the commitment of all parties to find practical solutions.

In the first 100 days in office, I have provided guidance in re-engineering and repackaging the Department’s interventions on integrated wildland fire management, to ensure building wildland firefighting skills, particularly for vulnerable rural communities, with focus on women and youth as well as to improve stakeholder engagement (state and non-state sectors) to enhance the collaboration on critical service delivery priorities with the Department.

I have recently led the 2024 Forestry Summit at the Freedom Park in Pretoria. The Summit brought all stakeholders within the forestry sector under one roof to discuss pertinent issues within the sector such as the growth and transformation of the sector, forestry sustainability and the contribution of the sector in addressing climate change.

The Summit was interactive as it provided role players with an opportunity to freely engage with us on the challenges they face in the sector. What was even more fascinating was the involvement of traditional leaders who came from various parts of the country to raise issues their communities were facing. I am pleased with the decision that came out of this frank engagement, which includes plans to go to communities to address issues they have raised.

The forestry sector plays a critical role in the country's economy; however, the sector has not been able to raise its national profile. 
In the month of September, I had the privilege to lead both the launch and closing ceremonies of the 2024 National Arbor Month campaign. The launch was hosted at Freedom Park in Pretoria and the closing ceremony at Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute in Middledrift, Eastern Cape. A total of 6000 trees were planted in both the localities that hosted these ceremonies.
The Arbor Month campaign is aimed at raising awareness among South Africans about the importance of conserving, protecting, and planting trees for the benefit of both the environment and society.

As part of the Arbor Month launch, I planted the first tree to officially initiate the Forest of Freedom at the designated site at Freedom Park in honour of the heroes and heroines who contributed to South Africa's democracy and liberation struggle. The first 30 trees planted at the Forest of Freedom marks the 30 years of Freedom and Democracy in South Africa. World leaders and other luminaries visiting Freedom Park will get an opportunity to plant a tree in the Forest of Freedom, when it is ready. 

During the Arbor Month, I also took a deliberate decision to heighten the Presidential Ten Million Tree Programme, which is a clarion call by President Cyril Ramaphosa to all sectors of society led by DFFE. 

I want to take this opportunity to announce that we are planning an ambitious campaign to relaunch the Presidential Ten Million Tree Programme by planting 1 million trees in one day, on a day to be announced soon. 

We want to call on all South Africans – the three spheres of Government, forestry sector, private sector, labour, academia, civil society and many others to join this ambitious campaign by pledging and committing to providing and planting trees on that specific day and going forward. 

Trees are important for life. Plant a tree today!

It is critical for South Africa to cooperate with other countries on chemicals management. I participated in the 3rd Berlin Forum on Chemicals and Sustainability that was hosted as a high-level virtual event. The overall goal of the Forum is to foster knowledge-sharing and strengthen global multistakeholder collaboration and action to address the global pollution crisis by focusing on and fostering implementation of the Global Framework on Chemicals: For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste (GFC). 

Politically, it is deemed crucial for the sustainability and effectiveness of action for implementation of the chemicals management led by DFFE, Health and Agriculture. Cooperation in the implementation would assist government, industry and civil society in promoting the Global Framework on Chemicals in curbing chemical pollution. The cooperation is prioritised and aimed at influencing the prioritisation of national budgets to implement and mainstream Global Framework on Chemicals into national planning. 

Lack of awareness/ knowledge of chemicals-related issues among stakeholders and decision-makers can make it difficult to generate the necessary will and mobilisation of the resources needed for concerted national action to improve chemicals management.
I participated at the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, on Monday, 16 September 2024. It was the first time this prestigious World Congress on Waste Management was held on the African continent. A number of SMMEs found an opportunity to showcase their business to an international community. South Africa strengthened its bilateral cooperation on waste and circular economy with countries such as Brazil, India, Malaysia, France, Finland, Nigeria, Ghana, eSwatini, Mexico, Germany, Norway, etc.

As part of ISWA side events, I went on a tour of the country’s most experienced Producer Responsibility Organisation, Petco, and recycling partner Extrupet’s new PET processing facility that represents a first-of-its-kind technology for Africa. When it comes on stream in 2025, the facility housing the new R300-million project will bring PET bottle-to-bottle recycling capability to the Western Cape for the first time and will add an extra 15 000 tonnes per annum of food-grade recycled PET (rPET) output capacity.

On 31 July, we marked the World Ranger Day celebration at the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga. The World Ranger Day is dedicated to our men and women who daily devote their lives and time to protect our inheritance and heritage for present and future generations. The day also pays tribute to those who have died in the line of duty, protecting our parks globally and here at home.  

During this event, I met with young rangers who are at the heart of our strategy to protect our parks and wildlife for present and future generations. I was inspired by their commitment to put their lives at risk and remain at the forefront of the conservation of our biodiversity. I also used this event to call on all South Africans – especially communities adjacent to our park – to continue to work with our rangers to protect our parks. 

South Africa continues to rank among the Southern African countries that are vulnerable to hazardous weather events including severe floods, heavy snowfall, droughts, tropical cyclones, storms, and heat waves. 

I participated at the National Consultative Workshop on Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) in Pretoria. This is a groundbreaking United Nations (UN) initiative that seeks to ensure that everyone on earth is protected from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving Early Warning Systems by the end of 2027.

As the government of South Africa, we welcomed the workshop and encouraged all delegates to work together to come up with early warning systems that will not only safeguard our economy and infrastructure, but also our people and our environment. 
In conclusion, our 100 days in the office have been characterized by hard work. We have hit the ground running to ensure that services are being rendered to the people of South Africa. 

We wish to assure President Ramaphosa and the people of South Africa that we will continue to work together to deliver on the priorities of the Government of National Unity. 
I thank you.