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2. Dedicated Environmental Courts. The task team - Dept. of Water and Environmental Affairs and Dept. of Justice Submissions where done to the two Ministers Minister of Justice agreed on the following points:- Establish dedicated courts and not specialised courts);- 4 pilot Environmental Co
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1. 1 Presentation to the Portfolio Committee: Water & Environment
2. 2 Dedicated Environmental Courts The task team - Dept. of Water and Environmental Affairs and Dept. of Justice
Submissions where done to the two Ministers
Minister of Justice agreed on the following points:
- Establish dedicated courts and not specialised courts);
- 4 pilot Environmental Courts:
- Johannesburg Regional Court (south);
- Durban Regional Court;
- Nelspruit Regional Court (jurisdiction covers the whole of Mpumalanga);
- Hermanus District Court.
- Appointment of dedicated prosecutors and judiciary to handle water and environmental crimes to be supported by DEA and DWA;
Utilisation of existing court structures;
Evaluation of pilot phase after one year
Our Minister’s deadline for roll out of the Environmental Courts is May 2010;
3. 3 CME Cases for 2009 List of criminal cases that were registered by CME for unlawful water activities against WSAs
1.Barrage 315/08/2010 –Emfuleni Municipality for pollution and failure to comply with a Directive, The case is currently under investigation by the SAPS
2.Brits 130/01/2010 –Madibeng municipality for failure to comply with a Directive and for pollution. The case is currently under investigation by the SAPS
Criminal cases registered against individuals in the farming industry
1.Villiers 11/07/2009 –Case against Villiers abattoir for pollution
2.Clarens 37/07/2009- Case against the transgressor for failure to comply with a Directive and
for building a dam without authority
3.Humansdorp 502/08/2009 –Case against the transgressor for failure to comply with a Directive and for building an unlawful dam.
4.Arbedeen 127/02/2009 –Case against the transgressor for impeding and diverting the natural
flow of a watercourse. The case was withdrawn against the transgressor and CME appealed against the verdict.
5.Kroonstad 92/04/2009 – Case against the transgressor for failure to comply with a Directive
and for building an unlawful dam. The SAPS is investigating the matter and the case
is with the Director of Public Prosecutions.
6.Kroonstad 314/07/2009 – Case against the transgressor for failure to comply with a Directive
and for building an unlawful dam.
4. 4 CME Cases for 2009 (continue…)
Directives issued for Non Compliance
To WSAs for noncompliance
1. Madibeng Municipality 2. Emfulenini Municipality
3. Lephalale Municipality 4. Mopani Municipality
5. Matjabeng Municipality 6. Modimolle Municipality
7. Vhembe Municipality 8. Govan Mbeki Municipality
Directives issued to individuals in the farming industry
Mr. Nel – for building an unlawful dam
Mr. Crous – for building an unlawful dam
Mr. Wessels - for building an unlawful dam
Mr. Khalon –for transferring water from one farm to another without authority
Mr. Arnold De Jager - for impeding and diverting the natural flow of a watercourse
5. 5 Regulation and Compliance and Enforcement Capacity Problem: Different units in DWA dealing with regulation of WS and WR and enforcement
Restructure all regulatory units in DWA into one Chief Directorate from 1 March 2010
The Department had appointed 19 Investigators, 1 Assistant Director: Investigation , 2 Deputy Directors (Legal and Enforcement Support) and in process for Director: Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement.
The fully fletched team will be up and running by the 1st April 2010