Environment Southern Africa

KZN government gets tough on luxury estates

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Mercury on April 12, 2006

The provincial government is worried about the steady loss of prime farming land in KwaZulu-Natal and has warned of a much tougher policy line against new golf courses, gated housing estates and other luxury developments which erode the future of agriculture.

Carlos Boldogh, Chief of Operations for the KZN department of agriculture and environmental affairs, told The Mercury that high value cropland was valuable because it covered just eight percent of the province.

Converting the best farming lands into luxury development projects could lead to a "perversion" of government strategy to return land to black communities.

For the rest of this article please Download kzn_government_gets_tough_on_luxury_estates.pdf

Environmentalists appeal Tata smelter green light

Article from Equinox Daily News (12/04/06)
Tata Steel's R650 million ferrochrome smelter in Richards Bay will be delayed further, following a call for the provincial environmental authority to reverse its green light. The appeal comes from environmental organisations groundWork, the Richards Bay Clean Air Association (RBCAA) and the Wildlife and Environmental Society of SA. Vusi Zuma, the spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Minister for Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, said yesterday, "In terms of legislation, there's no time frame specified for assessing appeals." He added, however, that it would be done in a "reasonable time".

Environmental Tax: will it actually benefit the environment?

" The National Treasury has proposed a new green tax through a green paper published last week saying that a new environmental tax would be a behavioural incentive, and the environment the beneficiary. The idea is to achieve what the treasury calls a double-dividend: tax the ills of society, such as pollution, and cut tax on its virtues, such as labour" (http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A184202).

To view the policy document please Download green_tax_draft_paper.pdf

The Treasury has asked for comments on this document to be forwarded to [email protected] by Monday, 31 July 2006. Environment Southern Africa would also appreciate your comments.   

Jo’burg sets out draft five-year development plan

Original article by Chantelle Benjamin Posted to the web on: 10 April 2006 (www.businessday.co.za)

THE City of Johannesburg launched its draft five-year development plan this week. The plan will drive efforts to set up development corridors that will attract business, especially to underdeveloped areas.

The plan will seek to address inefficient transport networks in underdeveloped areas of the city, identified as stumbling blocks towards economic growth of townships in particular.

For the rest of this article please Download joburg_sets_out_draft_fiveyear_development_plan.pdf

Luxury estates eat agricultural land

This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Times on April 06, 2006

Western Cape agricultural MEC Cobus Dowry has hit out at urban sprawl and luxury housing estates which are eating into the province's small amount of high quality arable land.

Dowry warned farmers and municipalities not to make precious agricultural land available to developers for short-term profit, saying it would take more than "promises of BEE" to get him to release agricultural land for development. 

For the rest of this article please Download luxury_estates_eat_agricultural_land.pdf

We were naive, says dune mining activist

This article was originally published on page 8 of Tribune on April 02, 2006

A leading figure in the hard-fought campaign to stop dune mining at St Lucia now believes the battle, conducted in the name of conservation, may have been misdirected.

Dune mining, says environmental lawyer Professor Jeremy Ridl, may have proved the better option.

Ridl, who was the spokesperson for the Wildlife Society and the Campaign for St Lucia during the long battle against dune mining, says he has come to this conclusion in the light of the lack of meaningful development of ecotourism in the St Lucia area. The area had failed to take off as a destination in spite of the status of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park as a World Heritage Site.
For the rest of this article please Download we_were_naive_says_dune_mining_activist.pdf

R11m grant to rid SA of obsolete pesticides

This article was originally published on page 4 of Pretoria News on April 05, 2006

The South African Government on Tuesday signed an R11-million grant agreement with the World Bank to help finance the disposal of obsolete pesticides in the country.

The deal, negotiated by Environmental Affairs and Tourism Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi, was signed by Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk and World Bank country director to South Africa Ritva Reinikka in Pretoria.
For the rest of the article please Download r11m_grant_to_rid_sa_of_obsolete_pesticides.pdf

Earthlife 'shocked' by Erwin's nuclear plans

This article was originally published on page 6 of Cape Times on March 29, 2006

Earthlife Africa says it is "shocked" that public enterprises minister Alec Erwin announced plans to build another conventional nuclear power station without first consulting the people who would have to pay for it.

But Eskom says the public will be able to have their say in a public participation process still to be launched.

They will also have a say in where the new nuclear station will be built, as Eskom says it is not definite that it will be built at Koeberg.

For the rest of this article, click on the Download earthlife_shocked_by_erwins_nuclear_plans.pdf