Parliament, Saturday, 18 February 2023 – The Climate Change Bill which is currently subjected to a nationwide public consultation process by the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, continues to receive mixed reaction from citizens.
Yesterday the committee held public hearings on the Bill in Limpopo Province’s Sekhukhune District Municipality where a majority of participants endorsed the draft legislation for its objectives of seeking to provide a response to the impacts of climate change.
However, the Bill came under criticism for a clause in which the State Law Advisors, make an opinion that it is not necessary to refer it to the National House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders. There is a general feeling among Sekhukhune residents that traditional leaders must not be left out of this Bill as they have been long involved in matters of protecting the environment.
The committee also heard that taking care of the environment must be every citizen’s responsibility and the climate change campaign must be taken to schools and be part of the curriculum similar to the highly successful HIV/Aids awareness approach.
The residents told the committee that Sekhukhune District and its local municipalities, do not have efficient waste management systems and one of the biggest environmental and health hazards is the lack of dumping sites in the district.
Disposable nappies are reportedly dumped in local streams and when it rained they get washed into the main river system. Lack of electricity in some villages as well as high cost of electricity has been blamed for the increasing deforestation as most communities chop trees to make firewood.
Those who were against the Bill alleged that South Africa should not be committing to reducing emissions when it was not even the biggest emitter, and that the country should first secure alternative energy sources before passing such a law.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Pogiso Modise, said public hearings in their nature are not meant to force anyone to agree and that the committee was not in the community to make anyone agree with the Bill.
“All the views are important to us, after we have went to all provinces we will sit and look into every submission and if the majority of South Africans don’t want this Bill, it will not pass, but if the majority feels it is a necessary law, it will be passed. We also want to dispel the myth that South Africa, through this Bill, wants to do away with coal, that is not true –we understand the role of the coal mines in providing employment to our people,” said Mr Modise.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND ENVIRONMENT, MR POGISO MODISE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the committee Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Sakhile Mokoena
Cell: 081 705 2130
Email: smokoena@parliament.gov.za
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