Address by Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP in the Parliamentary Debate: Budget Vote 30 – Environment (28 May 2013)
Chairperson, Minister and Deputy Minister and Honourable Members,
The UDM supports Budget Vote 30.
The high incidents of rhino poaching in South Africa over the past few years have been a cause of much embarrassment. More disappointing, however, is to see that South Africa seems incapable of dealing with this problem.
State Security has failed to gather intelligence on rhino poaching in South Africa. Such intelligence would enable us to nip this problem in the bud.
Rhino poaching has even risen in our transfrontier parks. Every day we read disturbing newspaper reports that rhino poaching has increased in parts of these Parks that are in our neighbouring countries.
While noble ideals underpinned the development of these Parks, the rise in rhino poaching in these Parks requires urgent attention.
Chairperson,
We are duty bound to make environmental issues attractive to the people. This we can do by ensuring that we avoid using arcane academic language and jargon when we talk to our people about environmental issues. More important is that we develop practical solutions to environmental challenges for the public to implement.
Some of these solutions include, but are not limited to, packaging environmental solutions with food security initiatives and commercial foresting. People should also be encouraged to engage in tree-planting activities, as indigenous forests play a critical role in protecting homes against natural disasters.
I thank you.
