CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
WHAT GUIDES DEA&T’S WORK
VISION AND MISSION OF DEA&T
ORGANOGRAM OF DEPARTMENT
KEY STRATEGIC CHALLENGES FOR 1999/2000
KEY DELIVERABLES FOR 1999/2000
POLICY AND LEGISLATION PLANNED FOR 1999/2000
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS FOR 1999
MTEF OF DEA&T
TOURISM
MARINE AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT
BIODIVERSITY AND HERITAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND PROTECTION
ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION
WEATHER BUREAU
ANTARCTICA
CORPORATE SERVICES
CONTACT DETAILS

INTRODUCTION
The Environment and Tourism Ministry and department spans a wide range of Government functions.

Tourism promotion and development aims to lead the growth, improvement in quality, equity of access and increases also in the tourism industry in South Africa. marketing South Africa as a preferred destination in the International Markets is the role of our parastatle SATOUR.

Our Biodiversity and Heritage component’s role is to promote and conserve our biological diversity for the benefit of all the people of South Africa. We work closely with our two parastatals the NBI and SANParks to achieve responsibilities in this sphere.

Our Marine and Coastal Management component guide the development and conservation of the coastal and marine environment and its resources to ensure a sustainable use of these resources for the benefit of all South Africans, particularly those along the coast. The Antarctica and Island programme is also part of this component.

Our Environmental Quality and Protection component aim to protect the environment in the interest of the health and well being of all people through preventing pollution and environmental degradation. Here we deal with atmospheric protection, chemicals management, pollution prevention, waste management, environmental planning and impact management.

In a new development we have created a component called Environmental Coordination and Information. The aim here is to provide environmental information to support effective environmental management and public participation in ensuring a better environment for all. Save everybody from rural communities who want to start build a tourism facility for e.g. to a big developer who wants to invest in a large factory, will be able to get base line public information, make speedy and more timely plans. We also aim to use this resource as well as a educational and environmental for all South Africans. Also in the section of our work we have committed ourselves to building the capacity of governmental, national, provincial and local levels to manage the environment sustainably and more effectively.

We also manage the Weather Bureau which provides some of the best meteorological services in the world and is an important provider of information on the weather to the aviation, agriculture and maritime sectors.

The Ministry and Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism covers a very wide range of interesting and exciting topics that impacts on the lives every citizen in South Africa.

The mandate and core business of DEA&T is informed by several policy and legal documents which include :

• The Constitution

• RDP

• GEAR

• Cabinet directives and policy decisions

• The White Paper on Transformation of the Public Service

• Batho Pele White Paper

• The White Paper on Environmental Management

• National Environmental Management Act, 1998

• Environment Conservation Act and Amendments,1989

• The Biodiversity White Paper

• White Paper on Tourism

• Tourism in GEAR

• Marine Fisheries White Paper

• Marine Living Resources Act, 1998

• Draft White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management

• World Heritage Convention Bill

Leading environmental management and tourism in the interest of sustainable development for all

Our mission is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of all South Africans by

• Promoting and fostering the sustainable development, use, protection and equitable access of our natural and cultural resources

• Leading and promoting tourism that is sustainable, thriving, providing quality jobs and equitable business opportunities

• Establishing responsible tourism that ensures environmental sustainability and which contributes to a better quality of life

• Harnessing the skills, experience and knowledge of the environment of all South Africans

• Empowering the South African public, communities and organisations through participation, environmental education, capacity building, research and information services to contribute to sustainable development

• Working together with all relevant stakeholders and spheres of government in the spirit of good governance

• Ensuring that all international participation and obligations are undertaken in the context of South Africa’s environmental policies and principles

In the spirit of our obligations in terms of the Constitution, the Department is committed to transparent and accountable processes in fulfilling the above.

• Contribute to the Government’s overarching goal of creating "a Better Life for All" and to make a significant contribution through our programmes and projects to the African Renaissance Initiative

• Directly contribute to job creation and fulfill our responsibilities from the Job Summit, through the implementation of programmes such as the Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Campaign, Tourism Infrastructure development and the National Arts and Craft Market campaign

• Contribute effectively to the Rural Development Strategy process of government through the tourism cluster process and development, improved access to cultural and local natural resource management, dryland management and SDI involvement

• Ensure effective cooperative governance through the establishment of partnerships with other national departments (CEC) and provinces (MINMEC/MINTECH/MIPTECH) as well as other role players (National Environmental Advisory Forum , Consultative Advisory Forum)

• To work together with the array of institutions and organisations within our areas of responsibility including our statutory bodies to tap the wide range of expertise, skills and experience, to achieve our mandates more effectively and efficiently

• Change the perception which exist of this department and the environment as concerned with only green (conservation) issues and an obstacle to development, to that of a department which facilitates sustainable development through job creation, better coordination of effort within government, local natural resource management and tourism development

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has identified the following key deliverables for 1999/2000 :

• Approval and promulgation of the World Heritage Convention Bill

• Development of the International Tourism Marketing Strategy in collaboration with the private sector

• The development of the collaborative tourism action plan through the cluster process, focussing on public private partnerships, which will feed into the strategy for tourism growth and development

• Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Strategy and Campaign

• National Air Quality Management Strategy and Plan

• Climate Change capacity building programme

• Law Reform in Tourism and Environmental Management to provide effective legislative framework

• Implementation of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) , including the drafting of Regulations on environmental assessment, environmental management cooperation agreements and environmental information

• Development of DEA&T’s Environmental Implementation / Management Plan

• Establishment of the Committee for Environmental Coordination, a statutory body in terms of NEMA, to coordinate the environment function in all three spheres of government

• Development of the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plans

• Development of a Strategy for the implementation of the Biodiversity White Paper

• Establishment of an effective and efficient National CITES Implementation Programme

• Implementation of the Marine Living Resources Act and a strategy to put the fishing industry on a sound footing including a major business re-engineering process and the outsourcing of the management the seagoing vessels

• Draft White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development for South Africa

• Establishment of an Environmental Information Management System for SA

• Launch of the National and City State of the Environment Reports

• Capacity Building programmes for Environmental Impact Assessment and Waste Management

• Establishment of the SA Weather Bureau as a statutory body with a new Board

• Proposal for the investigation into the agentisation of the Antarctic component

• Improved Corporate Services to department

• Human Resource Development Strategy and Programme

• Performance Management System for DEA&T developed

• Implementation of the Public Finance Management Act

• Total Resource Allocation Plan for Department

• Implementation of the new Public Service Regulations

• Implementation of the new Code of Remuneration

The Office of the Director-General (Pretoria) :

• Ensure effective participation in the Spatial Development Initiative processes and structures, with specific focus on the Lubombo and Wild Coast SDIs

• Systemic review and streamlined management of international conventions and obligations in place

• Improved coordination and management of donor programmes and engagements

• Effective coordination of DEA&T participation in government wide programmes such as the SDI, Job Summit, African Renaissance etc

• Initiating the establishment of a Conflict Management system in South Africa

• Delivering of professional governance support services to the CEC, MINMECs, NEAF

Office of the Director General (Cape Town) :

• Providing support services to the Consultative Advisory Forum (CAF) and the Fishery Transformation Council (FTC)

• Liaise and manage donor engagements in Cape Town

• Liaise with state law advisers and office of the leader of government business re legislative processes

• Provide support services to the department re parliamentary processes