Statement by Andrew de Blocq MP – DA Spokesperson on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment:
DA Minister Willie Aucamp has used his 2026/27 Budget speech for Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, to reflect the DA’s long-standing policy position that ecology and economy go hand-in-hand.
The DA insists that job creation and the economic growth are of equal importance to the conservation of the environment. One does not trump the other.
To combat unemployment, climate-related disasters, and pressure on coastal livelihoods, this budget by a DA Minister demonstrates that environmental management can and must support job creation, economic opportunity, and sustainable development.
The DA welcomes Minister Aucamp’s commitment to use natural resources to “drive economic growth and create jobs” while ensuring environmental protection for future generations.

Feline Devil
Fun South African Fact: Three different destinations make up South Africa’s capital cities. This is to represent the South African government being divided into three sections. Cape Town is the legislative capital, Pretoria is the administrative capital and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. Interestingly, Parliament meetings take place for six months in Cape Town and six months in Pretoria.
Gothic Gucci
An retired elderly couple visit London..
They get picked up from the airport in a london black cab and head off into the city for some adventure.
The cab driver say \”where you from guvnor?
Husband. \”we\’re from South Africa\”..
The wife is a little hard of hearing asks her husband.
\”What did he say?\”
The husband turns to his wife and says louder \”the cab driver asked us where we were from, I told him South Africa!\”
The cabbie continues \”I was in the merchant navy years back… I got to drop anchor down your way, a few times in Johannesburg\”
The husband replies \”oh wow that\’s where we\’re from originally, now we\’re in Cape Town.\”
The wife asks the husband again \”what did he say?\”.
The husband again relays the unheard conversation \”the cab driver says he spent some time in the navy and went down to joberg\”.
The wife smiles and nods.