The Green Scorpions lack sting – especially in Kimberley.
An oversight visit by the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) yesterday to the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Land Reform, prompted by issues such as the smuggling of rare plants, revealed numerous problems. The most significant issue is a critical shortage of manpower.
The Freedom Front Plus wanted to find out what became of plants that smugglers had illegally removed from Namaqualand, which were subsequently seized by police and handed over to the Green Scorpions.
The Freedom Front Plus’s delegation consisted of Theo Joubert, MPL; Kobus van den Berg and Wynand Boshoff, MPs responsible for the Department in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and National Assembly (NA) respectively; and Wilhelm Reichert, the Freedom Front Plus’s Provincial Manager who handles numerous environmental complaints.
The Head of Corporate Services, Mr Thabang Sebono, and the Head of Compliance and Enforcement, Mr O.T. Gaoraelwe, outlined the Department’s limitations.
According to them, underfunding is the main reason for the numerous vacant posts. In addition, there is only one investigator responsible for the vast province, making effective law enforcement impossible.
Coordination between provincial and national departments tasked with water and pollution is also problematic.
Moreover, it is difficult for the public to report environmental violations, as multiple departments have agencies for handling different types of offences, and reporting points are neither prominent nor easily accessible.
The smuggling of plants from Namaqualand is a significant problem. These plants are highly sought after in Asian countries, with a few boxes of plants potentially fetching up to a million rand.
Even when plants are confiscated, their rehabilitation poses challenges.
The confiscated plants cannot be replanted for two reasons: The Department lacks suitable nursery facilities, while the police and courts require the plant material to be retained as evidence until cases are finalised, which can take years.
During the party’s visit, it was shown plastic bags containing plants held for investigative purposes, many of which had already decomposed.
What is even more alarming is the response to the Freedom Front Plus’s enquiry to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, after learning about the containers of plants.
The Minister claimed that it was a rumour based on a misunderstanding and that no such containers exist.
Mr Gaoraelwe, however, noted that his office had not received any enquires regarding the matter. The Freedom Front Plus has since informed the Minister of the oversight visit’s findings.
This is a serious matter, in the Freedom Front Plus’s view, and better coordination between law-enforcement agencies is essential. Both the reporting and addressing of complaints, as well as the management of biological evidence, need to be more efficient.
cabbie
Afrikaans knock knock joke.
Klop klop.
Wie is daar?
Bon Joe.
Bon Joe Wie?
Street Jolly
Van der Merwe is approached by SANRAL one day who want to build a new highway through his donkey farm. Van is really concerned with how his donkeys can get from one side of the farm to the other without having to cross the highway and risk being injured or killed. He is promised that they will build bridges the highway so that his donkeys can cross under the highway. Van agrees and gives them the go-ahead.
The highway is built and a year later the same rep goes to the farm to go see how Van and his donkeys are. He eventually finds Van under one of these bridges chipping away at the roof of the tunnel with a hammer and chisel.
\”Mnr Van de Merwe, what are you doing damaging the highway bridge?\”