South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA)

Marine Spatial Planning Bill Public Hearings

There are numerous concerns that we have risen regarding the Marine spatial planning bill and many discrepancies glaring throughout the bill’s processes. The Marine Spatial planning bill is a result of President Zuma’s operation Phakisa which will use the ocean as a source of economy, destroying the marine environment, marine life and the livelihoods of subsistence fishermen in the process.

The implementation of this bill will allow government, through their international treaties and trade agreements with different countries, to allow for trawlers from different countries to fish our oceans, at the expense of the local fishing population. These international trawlers are moving closer to the South African coastline.

The bill will allow for oil and gas exploration, sandwinning and other harmful development to take place in our ocean’s, destroying it in the process.

The bill will undermine environmental issues and allow for more dumping of chemicals in the ocean. Stronger measures must be put into place to ensure anyone dumping in the ocean (companies and people alike) will be charged accordingly.

Way Forward

Public hearings will be held in different municipalities at different venues as the bill effects the entire coastline of South Africa. All opposing the bill must ensure they are present to voice their objections at one of these meetings. The SDCEA, Groundwork, KZNSFF and all relevant stakeholders will be attending the public meeting on the 17^th of August 2017.

·        16 August 2017 – Empangeni (Richards Bay), Mfolozi Town Hall.

·        17 August 2017 – Chesterville, Chesterville Town Hall.

·        Hearings are from 10:00 am to 15:00 pm

https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/arguments-heard-over-marine-bill-10846828