SPEECH DELIVERED BY DEPUTY MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MS REJOICE MABUDAFHASI DURING THE PROFESSIONAL HUNTING ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA CONVENTION AT THE ZULU NYALA COUNTRY MANOR, JOHANNESBURG

15 NOVEMBER 2010

President of PHASA, Mr Eduard Katzke
CEO of PHASA, Ms Adri Kitshoff
Representatives from various international organization and associations
Delegates

I would like to thank you for the invitation to open the PHASA Convention. Please allow me to congratulate Mr. Eduard Katzke with his appointment as President of PHASA in 2009, and Ms Adri Kitshoff as CEO in January 2010.

The hunting industry makes a valuable contribution to the economy of our country and according to a report compiled by the Department, based on information provided by the provincial conservation authorities, the revenue generated directly through hunting, during 2009, amounts to R650 million. Owing to the forward and backward linkages of the hunting industry, the impact of the industry, both direct and indirect, is far larger than the aforementioned amount.

I was informed that the study conducted by the North West University in 2007, indicated that the total contribution of your industry amounted to approximately R7.7 billion and this is quite significant.

I further value your active participation in government initiatives and processes. To mention but a few; your involvement in the Wildlife Forum; participation in the Round Table that my Department convened in May 2010, and the Minister’s Rhino Summit in October 2010; the NGO Summit of two weeks ago, and in particular, in the legislative development processes.

Your contribution to skills development and job creation within the environmental sector deserves to be mentioned. I am not sure how many other organizations can say that they have donated more than R2 million this year for the training of previously disadvantaged conservationists! I would urge you to continue with these initiatives, but to also focus on other initiatives to transform not only the hunting industry, but also the broader wildlife industry. Continued collaboration and cooperation between the Department and the industry can facilitate the development of such initiatives.

There have been many developments since the former Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, addressed you at your Annual General Meeting in Boksburg in 2007.  Acknowledging that you have concerns with regards to government processes that may impact on your industry, please allow me a few minutes to reflect on the progress made in terms of a number of issues:

1.     The Hunting Norms and Standards is in the process of being finalized and I should mention that due to the amendment to the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, that now provides the Minister with the mandate to make regulations relating to the hunting industry; the final Norms and Standards will not include regulatory provisions.

2.     The Department has just initiated the process to amend the Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) Regulations as well as the Threatened or Protected Species lists. Where until now a permit has been required to carry out any restricted activity involving a listed threatened or protected species, I am positive that the upcoming amendment process will provide for much more effective implementation of the regulations, as we will now be able to exempt a person from many of the impractical provisions.

3.     Although a complete proposal has not been developed yet, discussions are taking place to identify and explore possible areas for self-administration. I understand that this is an important aspect for the industry.

New government initiatives that have been given effect to during the past year include:

1.      The development of a National Strategy for the Safety and Security of Rhinoceros populations in South Arica, which was necessitated by the increase in rhino poaching and illegal international trade in rhino horn. The purpose of the strategy is to reduce the effect of rhino poaching, ensure the successful prosecution of offenders and to improve the management of rhino horn stock piles. Here, I want to commend PHASA for their contribution of R 377 000.00 to rhino conservation.

2.      Linked to the development of the rhino strategy, is the establishment of an interim National Wildlife Crime Reaction Unit to respond to wildlife crimes, and in particular to rhino poaching and the illegal rhino horn trade.

3.      The establishment of a Biodiversity Special Investigations Unit within the Biodiversity and Conservation branch of the Department.

Having mentioned progress in existing initiatives and the development of new initiatives, I want to acknowledge that there certainly are areas where the cooperation between government and industry can improve. We furthermore also need to collaborate with other departments and organizations, especially the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in terms of its legislation that effect the wildlife and hunting industry; and the Department of Tourism in terms of marketing. 

It is reassuring to know that PHASA does not condone unethical hunting, and that your organization has a Code of Conduct through which you discipline members who participate in unacceptable hunting practices.

Lastly, I would like to request PHASA to continue to communicate and collaborate with government, to communicate government initiatives to your members, and to participate in these initiatives. It is only through continued communication and participation that we will be able to together improve and expand our hunting industry.

I hope you have fruitful deliberations during the Convention and that the outcomes of the workshop will include concrete, practical proposals relating to the improved marketing means to raise the profile of the industry, and clarity on regulatory issues to be addressed.

I thank you for the opportunity to address you and hereby declare the Convention officially open.