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INTRODUCTION

The strategic approach of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is guided by the following national priorities: job creation and economic growth; poverty alleviation; a better living environment; nature conservation; the building of a common patriotism; and the promotion of the African Renaissance.

A measure of our success must surely be based primarily on the tangible contribution we make to the quest for a better life for all. In our pursuit of these objectives, we must become 'a nation at work'.

JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Tourism more than any other sector of the economy holds the potential to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. It is rapidly overtaking the contribution of gold mining to GDP. The quarterly bulletin of the Reserve Bank reported that in the first nine months of 1999 there had been a nine percent growth in employment in the catering and accommodation sector. This is welcome news.

No stone is being left unturned in the quest to unlock the full potential of tourism.

We now have single government / private sector campaign to market South Africa internationally.

As a result, South Africa's biggest ever-marketing campaign was implemented from January to April this year.

This year we become a truly global player with a marketing budget of R225m, of which the private sector will contribute R75m.

In-depth market research is to be conducted so that we expand from our traditional European markets into Africa, India, the Middle East and the United States.

Fundamental changes have been made to Satour in the past year. Firstly, it is transforming itself into a 'lean and mean' world-class marketing organisation under its new CEO Moss Mashishi. Secondly, it has become the embodiment of the partnership between government and business with the appointment by Cabinet of a powerful new board of which Transnet's Saki Macozoma is chairperson and Anglovaal's Rick Menell is his deputy.

The capacity within the department is also being enhanced. At the beginning of this month we were joined by Dr Patrick Matlou, who was appointed by Cabinet to the newly created post of Deputy Director General for Tourism. It is the first time that such a senior post exists in the public service for tourism.

To further unlock the potential of tourism, the highly successful "Welcome" campaign was launched in December last year directed at the South African public to raise awareness on the role tourism can play in creating a better life for our people and why tourism should be everyone's business.

In order to expose disadvantaged children to tourism, thousands of learners will be taken on sponsored holidays. Already, through the facilitation the National Business Initiative, children from schools in Mitchells Plain, Mamelodi and Ndwedwe in KwaZulu-Natal were recently given the experience to overnight at hotels run by the Protea group.

This year we will attract new investment to tourism, and at the same time create opportunities for black people to enter what is still a very white dominated industry.

As part of the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative, we will be putting on the market 16 eco-tourism investment opportunities in the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park worth over R650m. This will create much-needed jobs in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal.

This year the South African National Parks will award concessions to private sector operators for no less than nine lodge sites, seven of these in the Kruger National Park.

The 17 restaurants and the 23 shops currently being operated by the National Parks will also be offered on public tender.

CULTURAL HERITAGE

The growing demand for cultural tourism provides the opportunity to reclaim our proud history, promote nation building and advance the renaissance.

The Soweto Heritage Route is presently being upgraded at a cost of R16m. An important element of this project is the development of the Hector Peterson Memorial Site. Not only will this serve to pay tribute to the memory of those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom during the Soweto uprisings, it will also boost the township's tourism industry. Already Soweto is the 16th most popular destination for international visitors to our country.

This year we will also begin the process of making accessible the ruins of our oldest city, Mapungubwe. The site of the famous golden rhino, Mapungubwe reveals that gold was being mined and traded with the East at least 500 years before the arrival of Jan van Riebeek.

By far South Africa's richest, most expansive and most significant cultural treasure (past and present) are the 15,000 rock art sites we have inherited. No other country has a larger number of rock art sites. But perhaps its real significance is that it is the world's oldest record of human culture and art forms. Yet, so few South Africans have come to comprehend this staggering wealth! This year some of these sites will be developed both to protect them and to allow for people to visit them.

As if we were not sufficiently endowed, UNESCO declared Sterkfontein and its environs a World Heritage Site last year. This is 'the cradle of humankind' and the Gauteng province this week released a tender for Sterkfontein so that we will be able to display for all to see the world's oldest hominoid fossils.

CONSERVATION

Sustainable and responsible tourism means that as we grow tourism, so should we enhance the protection of the environment. We can be proud of the developments taking place in our national parks and other conservation areas.

Just a week ago President Mbeki and President Mogae of Botswana, in a moving ceremony, opened Africa's first Transfrontier Park, the Kgalagadi. This three-million hectare park straddles South Africa and Botswana making it even bigger than Kruger National Park. It provides for the natural migration patterns of herds of gemsbok, but also the free and unhindered movement of tourists between the Botswana and South African sides of the Park. This is a monument to both conservation and regional friendship and solidarity.

Just two weeks ago, on 2 May 2000, successful talks were held in Harare between the governments of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa at which an agreement in principle was reached on plans for the creation of the world's largest wildlife destination. The aim is to link the Kruger National Park with Gaza province in Mozambique and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe by bringing down the fences between the three countries and allowing for the free movement of both wild animals and visitors. We intend to sign the protocol on 19 June 2000 in Kruger National Park.

The Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape is in the process of being transformed into the greater Addo National Park by extending its boundaries right up to the coastline just east of Port Elizabeth. My appreciation goes to the Eastern Cape Government for having agreed to transfer the Woody Cape Nature Reserve to the South African National Parks for this purpose. As a new 'big five' destination, it will rival the Kruger National Park as a tourist attraction and will serve as an anchor project for tourism development in the Eastern Cape.

Our 20 national parks are one of our greatest assets for both biodiversity and tourism in this country. A little-known fact is that more new national parks have been proclaimed or existing parks expanded since the first democratic elections in 1994 than at any other comparable period in the history of South African National Parks.

Cape Peninsula, Vhembe/Dongola, Agulhas and Namaqua are all new national parks, and Addo, Marakele, Karoo and Mountain Zebra have had significant new sections added to them representing an overall increase of 188 000ha. The House can be proud of this achievement.

Another achievement we can be proud of is the status Kirstenbosch Gardens enjoys as being voted one of world's seven most magnificent botanical gardens last year.

Walker Bay in the Southern Cape is a highly significant breeding area for whales, which come in from the southern seas. It is one of the few sites in the world that provide the opportunity to engage shore-based whale watching. In the recent years, owners of recreational boats and other crafts have tended to ignore regulations aimed at protecting the whales. It is therefore my intention to prohibit boats and other vessels from entering the bay during the whaling season from July to December. Today's Government Gazette publishes draft regulations for public comment.

The protection of our 3,000km coastline requires more attention. During my recent walk along the Wild Coast I witnessed the uncaring and irresponsible attitude of 4X4 drivers on the beaches. While some drivers take extreme care others seem to take pleasure from driving over sensitive dunes above the high-water mark. I will shortly be publishing regulations aimed at the total prohibition of private vehicles on our beaches.

A BETTER LIVING ENVIRONMENT

Brown environmental issues, such as air pollution and waste management, deserve far more attention in this country as they impact directly on the quality of life of our citizens, in particular those living in under-privileged areas.

It is simply unacceptable to allow the air that we breathe to become more and more polluted and our streets and countryside to become filthier and filthier. There is rampant lawlessness among industrial polluters and a 'don't care' attitude amongst many citizens. The rot must stop.

It is our intention to put industrial polluters on terms this year.

Following on the recent chlorine leak from the Polifin plant in KwaZulu-Natal the Department will be withdrawing its permit until it has satisfied us that sufficient prevention steps have been put in place.

On Tuesday next week we will release draft regulations aimed at prohibiting the use of plastic carry bags as we know them. The public and industry will be given 90 days within which to comment.

The Deputy Minister will provide the House with more details.

THE FISHING INDUSTRY

South Africa's fishing industry will also receive special attention this year. This R2,5bn industry, which provides 25 000 direct jobs and probably 60 000 indirect and casual jobs with an additional 750,000 recreational fishers, has an urgent need for stability, certainty and transparency. On the occasion of this debate we announce the following as the way forward:

This year we will issue medium- to long-term fishing quotas. These will be non- transferable and conditional on compliance with a set of criteria.

In July this year we will publish a policy framework for the allocation of each fish species. This will set out the relative quotas for large, medium, small and subsistence fishers. This will remove purely discretionary and ad hoc decision-making from the allocation process.

The grading of the players in the industry will be underscored by proper pricing of fishing rights and applications. This is to encourage small-scale and subsistence fishers, while limiting applicants for macro quotas to the genuine players in the industry. Through this we hope to start to weed out the paper quota holders so that the people genuinely interested in this industry can start fishing.

A dedicated rights allocation unit will be established to drive the transformation of the industry.

A high-powered legal unit is being established in order to ensure the requisite capacity on the part of the department to deal with the proper implementation and upholding of the law.

This year Cabinet appointed Mr Horst Kleinschmidt as Deputy Director-General, which has elevated the Marine and Coastal Management Chief Directorate to a full branch of the Department. The Deputy Minister will provide further details on the work of MCM.

CONCLUSION

In order to improve our service to the public and ensure value for money to the taxpayer, the Department is undergoing a modernisation process.

The South African Weather Bureau will no longer be a Chief Directorate in the Department. We will be tabling a Bill before Parliament later this year to establish the Weather Bureau as a self-standing statutory body. This will allow it to focus on its core business of weather monitoring and forecasting. It will become financially more viable by implementing user-charges for commercial enterprises requiring the services of the Weather Bureau, as is the case elsewhere in the world.

The management and maintenance of the Department's seven ships has already been outsourced.

Steps will be taken to transform the South African National Antarctica Programme from a Directorate in the Department into a dedicated statutory research agency.

The State Information and Technology Agency has been contracted to transform the Department into a so-called 'paperless' office by introducing cutting-edge information technology into all aspects of the Department's work.

I wish to express by gratitude to Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi, Director General Chippy Olver and members of the Department, and to my own staff for the professional and dedicated support they provide me with.

May I take this opportunity to call on all members of this House to join us in the rewarding campaign to protect and restore South Africa's proud cultural and natural heritage. And, I urge every one of you, for the sake of the tourism industry, and for your own sake, to take a long and extended holiday.

I thank you.

End

Issued by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, 19 May 2000