4 July 2012 - The Minister
of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna
Molewa published for public comment under
sections 9 and 43 of the National Environmental
Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act
No. 10 of 2004), the Norms and Standards
for Biodiversity Management Plans (BMP)
for Ecosystems in Gazette No. 35486 of 2
July 2012.
The National Environmental
Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act
No. 10 of 2004) provides for BMPs to be
developed and published for an ecosystem,
an indigenous species, or a migratory species.
While the Act gives broad requirements for
BMPs, it is not specific about the content
or the process of developing a BMP. For
these reasons, the Department, with the
assistance of the South African National
Biodiversity Institute, through a participatory
process including scientists and stakeholders,
has developed norms and standards for BMPs
for Ecosystems (BMP-E).
The purpose of these
norms and standards are to guide the development
of BMPs for Ecosystems, providing a consistent
approach to BMPs for Ecosystems across the
country while being sufficiently flexible
to accommodate the variability of ecosystems
and their management requirements.
The norms and standards
outline certain criteria for the development
of BMP-E for which two filters are used,
i.e. ecosystems of special concern (which
include listed ecosystems and other ecosystems
of special concern); and ecosystems for
which management interventions can make
a difference and for which a BMP-E is thus
likely to be effective.
Since ecosystem boundaries
are often inherently fuzzy, and there is
no single correct delineation for most ecosystems,
these norms and standards also provide guidance
on how ecosystems should be delineated.
Normally the delineation of an ecosystem
for a BMP-E will be determined primarily
by where the management actions for that
ecosystem need to take place (likely to
be at the local scale rather than the landscape
scale). However, it is proposed that large
areas that are severely degraded or where
natural habitat has been irreversibly lost
must be excluded from the delineation of
an ecosystem for the purpose of a BMP-E.
Any person, organisation
or organ of state desiring to contribute
to biodiversity management may submit a
draft BMP to the Minister. A BMP-E must
be developed for a minimum period of five
years but may be developed for a longer
period, subject to review every five years.
With regard to the content
of a BMP-E, it must contain information
relating to amongst others, the biodiversity
significance of the ecosystem, a justification
of why a BMP is warranted and the five-year
management objectives which are related
to long-term biodiversity objectives including
indicators for assessing whether the management
objectives are being met. It is also suggested
that a brief monitoring report be drawn
up at least annually to be made available
as part of the five-year review process.
The process of developing
and implementing a BMP-E follows eight phases:
feasibility check; preparation phase; development
phase; review of the draft plan; submission;
approval and publication; implementation;
monitoring and evaluation and the five-year
review.
These norms and standards
for BMP-E have been designed for terrestrial
and freshwater ecosystems and are therefore
not intended for estuarine and marine ecosystems.
They may however be suitable for some marine
ecosystems.
Members of the public
are invited to submit written comments to
the Minister, within 30 days after publication
of the notice in the Gazette. Written comments
or inputs may be submitted to the following
addresses:
By post to:
The Director-General
Department of Environmental Affairs
Attention: Wilma Lutsch
Private Bag X447
Pretoria
Comments received after
the closing date may not be considered.
To access the Gazette, please click on the
link below:
Norms and standards for biodiversity management
plans for ecosystems
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Last modified: 5 July 2012 - 1:42pm
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Minister Edna Molewa
to address Department of Public Enterprises'
launch of the Climate Change Policy Framework
for State Owned Companies
4 July 2012 - The Minister
of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna
Molewa, will address the launch of the Department
of Public Enterprises' Climate Change Policy
Framework for all State Owned Companies
(SOC) on Thursday, 05 July 2012 at Royal
Elephant Hotel, Centurion.
The launch is organized
by the Minister of Public Enterprises (DPE),
Mr Malusi Gigaba, and aims to optimise the
impact of the DPE SOC on the reduction of
carbon emissions and development of the
Green Economy without compromising SOC financial
viability.
According to the DPE,
a key feature of the Climate Change Policy
Framework is its emphasis on collaboration
efforts between SOC and other organisations
on issues of sustainable development, climate
change and the green economy. The framework
is intended to guide longer term actions
required to put South Africa on a low carbon
development path and to ensure that the
SOC lead as agents of change in the process
of building a green economy.
The DPE identifies one
such collaboration initiative as the development
of a SOC-driven bio fuels strategy. The
DPE is planning to make an announcement
in this regard and of the signing by SOC
of the United Nations’ Global Compact (UNGC)
which is also included in the Policy Framework.
The UNGC is a strategic
policy initiative for businesses that are
committed to aligning their operations and
strategies with ten universally accepted
principles in the areas of human rights,
labour, environment and anti-corruption,
thereby advancing sustainable development.
Minister Edna Molewa
awards 7 bioprospecting permits & launches
Bioprospecting, Access and Benefit-Sharing
guidelines
Komaggas Community Hall, Komaggas, Nothern
Cape Province
27 July 2012 - Mr Zama
Nzuza (extreme left) receives the bioprospecting
permit for Edakeni Muthi Futhi from the
Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs.
Next to Mr Zama Nzuza is Mr George Cloete,
a beneficiary of the kraalbos permit, next
to the Minister is the Acting Premier of
the Northern Cape, Ms Griezelda Cjiekella.
>> visit our gallery
The Minister of Water
and Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa
today, 27 July 2012 awarded seven bioprospecting
permits to organisations enabling them to
legally engage in bioprospecting activities
and afford certain benefits to the owners
of the traditional knowledge and/or providers
of indigenous biological resources. The
seventh permit was awarded to Rapitrade
670 (Pty) Ltd. for the extraction and purification
of chemical compounds from the shrublet,
Galenia Africana, better known as Kraalbos.
The shrublet is predominantly found in the
Northern Cape and will be used for the production
of products such as soaps and herbicides.
The community of Komaggas, who are providing
access to the raw materials of Kraalbos,
will be receiving both monetary and non-monetary
benefits. The Minister has also launched
South Africa’s Bioprospecting, Access and
Benefit Sharing Regulatory Framework: Guidelines
for providers, users and regulators.
(From left) Mr George Cloete, a beneficiary
of the kraalbos permit, next to the Minister
is the Acting Premier of the Northern Cape,
Ms Griezelda Cjiekella.
Regulations for Bioprospecting,
Access and Benefit Sharing came into effect
in April 2008 and thus far the department
has issued eight bioprospecting permits
of which the first one was officially awarded
in 2010 to HGH Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd.
The permit was awarded for international
research on cultivated plant material and
extracts from Sceletium tortosium, commonly
referred to as Kanna, Channa or Kougoedand.
HGH Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd. was working
with Gehrlicker GmbH, a German-based company
to commercialise the product as a stress
reducing, concentration enhancing and mood
elevation substance. This proudly South
African commercial product with endorsement
by the Medicines Control Council will be
marketed in South Africa by Brunel Laboratoria
under name Elev8. In addition, the permit
holder has completed the Phase 1 clinical
safety study with the US Food and Drug Administration-Good
Clinical Practice (FDA-GCP) on this product.
Minister Molewa is introduced
to the kraalbos at a farm in Komaggas.
Speaking at the permit
handover ceremony, the Minister said that,
“Historically, a lack of bioprospecting
policy framework and legislation both at
national and international level, had permitted
an almost unconstrained access to South
African indigenous biological resources
and indigenous knowledge, with biological
and genetic resources being harvested, sometimes
in destructively excessive quantities, and
being exported for research and development
at institutions abroad for innovative value
addition, and off-shore financial benefit.
Consequently, traditional knowledge holders
and providers of indigenous biological resources
were not benefiting from the use of our
indigenous biological resources and the
associated indigenous knowledge.”
Minister Molewa went
on to emphasise that accordingtoone of the
Chapters of the National Environmental Management
Biodiversity Act, Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA)
no person may without a permit conduct commercial
bioprospecting on any indigenous biological
resource, or export any indigenous biological
resources from South Africa for bioprospecting
or any other kind of research.
The Minister explained
that, “The Bioprospecting, Access and Benefit
Sharing or BABS Regulations were developed
and promulgated to regulate the permit system
set out in NEMBA in so far as that system
applies to bioprospecting involving any
indigenous biological resources. Export
from South Africa of any indigenous biological
resources for the purposes of bioprospecting
or any other kind of research must be permitted.
In addition, the BABS Regulations set out
the contents of, requirements and criteria
for benefit-sharing and material transfer
agreements. The BABS Regulations entered
into force on 1 April 2008.”
A kraalbos farmer in
Komaggas shows the Minister of Water and
Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa how
kraalbos is harvested. Minister Molewa is
on the extreme right in a red jacket. On
the immediate left of the farmer is Ms Sylvia
Lucas, MEC for the Northern Cape Department
of Environmental Affairs and Nature Conservation.
Today, Minister Molewa
officially awarded a further seven bioprospecting
permits to different organisations to engage
in bioprospecting activities. The first
permit was awarded to the Regents University
of California jointly with the University
of Free State for the purposes of describing
the extent to which the genetic polymorphism
of vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus aethiops
can assist in the international collaborative
effort to establish Chlorocebus as the leading
non-human primate model system for genomics-driven
research.
The second permit was
awarded to Dennis Noel de Villiers for the
trade in Aloe ferox sap, extracts and crystals
on national and international markets for
bioprospecting. The third permit was awarded
for the sale of Pelargonium sidiodes andAloe
ferox raw materials in various formats for
the purposes of bioprospecting on national
and international markets. This permit was
issued to Grahamstown-based Gower Enterprises
that manufactures and prepares natural herbal
remedies such as cough mixture and concentrate
juice for local consumption.
Minister Molewa issued
the fourth permit to Essential Amathole
(Pty) Ltd. for the cultivation, primary
procession, selling and exporting of Aloe
ferox, helichrysum odoratissimum, Pelargonium
reniforme and pelargonium sidiodes in different
formats for national and international markets
for biorpospecting. Essential Amathole (Pty)
Ltd. producing a range of organic oils and
medicinal plant extracts for local and international
markets.
The Muthi Futhi Trust
project is the recipient of the fifth bioprospecting
permit. The permit was awarded for the cultivation,
processing and marketing of herbal products
containing active ingredients from 40 indigenous
biological resources. Some of the commercial
products produced treats congestion, asthma
and boosts the immune system.
The sixth permit was
awarded to the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) in collaboration
with an international client based in Johannesburg,
Cragill RSA (Pty) Ltd.; for the development
of Sclerechilton illicifolius (monatin,
molomo monate) as a natural sweetener scientifically
proven to be 1200 -1400 times sweet than
that of sucrose when tested as 5% and 10%
solution.
The seventh and final
bioprospecting permit awarded today was
to Rapitrade 670 (Pty) Ltd. and is expected
to bring many benefits to the community
of Komaggas where there is an estimated
90% jobless rate. Some of the benefits arising
from the benefit sharing-and material transfer
agreements include the employment of some
Komaggas community members as project coordinators
and harvesters; the collection of a pre-determined,
specified percentage of all distributable
cash reserves after costs at the end of
each financial year to beneficiaries and
the purchase of harvested Kraalbos from
Komaggas farmers.
Furthermore, as per
the regulations for Bioprospecting, Access
and Benefit Sharing, a Section 21 company
has been established for the Komaggas community
to receive 5% of all distributable cash
reserves after costs at the end of each
financial year, or at such a time as deemed
appropriate by the directors of Rapitrade
670 (Pty) Ltd.The Khoi Heritage Foundation
which is representing the holders of traditional
knowledge about the Kraalbos will also receive
one percent (1%)of all distributable cash
reserves after costs at the end of each
financial year, or at such a time as deemed
appropriate by the directors of Rapitrade
670 (Pty) Ltd.
Since the promulgation
of the regulations for Bioprospecting, Access
and Benefit Sharing, the Department has
been actively involved in capacity building
and raising awareness of the regulatory
requirements. Through this process it was
recognised that further tools are required
to support stakeholders in ensuring the
fair and equitable negotiation and conclusion
of benefit sharing and material transfer
agreements.
As such, the Minister
today launched a document setting out guidelines
for providers, users and regulators of bioprospecting.
The guidelines document is for users, providers
and regulators of the use of biological
and genetic resources as well as the associated
traditional knowledge. The guidelines outline
a practical approach for compliance with
the legislation. Such a guideline will be
a tool to assist communities who hold indigenous
knowledge and also assist with improved
access to enable engagement with users and
regulators.
The purpose of the document
is to assist the different role players
in understanding the legal requirements
of the Bioprospecting regulations and their
rights under the law. The guidelines document
also aims to increase awareness about some
of the basic principles and concepts of
access and benefit sharing and provide guidance
on the negotiation, conclusion and evaluation
of material transfer and benefit sharing
agreements.
Minister Molewa said
that, “As many of you may know, South Africa
has a rich natural and cultural resource
base that ranks amongst the top 3 in the
world's most bio-diverse countries. We are
home to approximately 24 000 plants species
and have an entire floral kingdom within
our borders. South Africa is not just rich
in biological diversity but also blessed
with a rich cultural diversity. These natural
and cultural resources underpin a large
proportion of the economy and many rural
and urban people urban are directly dependent
on them for employment, food, shelter, medicine
and spiritual well being.”
South Africa’s green
economy agenda is underpinned by the important
role and value that biodiversity plays in
our very survival, giving rise to the notion
of bioprospecting, access and benefit sharing.
The bioprospecting permits issued to companies
thus far have provided for benefit sharing
including monetary and non-monetary benefits,
and the sustainable development and utilisation
of indigenous biological resources. The
use of the indigenous plants and animals
for bioprospecting contributes to the creation
of job opportunities, poverty eradication,
skills development and technology transfer
when it is done for a purpose that is in
the public interest.
Information resources
•To access the Minister’s speech click on
the link: http://www.environment.gov.za/?q=content/molewa_bioprospecting_permithandover_celebration
•To access the Bioprospecting Brochure click
here: http://www.environment.gov.za/?q=content/environmentalaffairs_bioprosecting_benefitsharing_factsheet
•To access the Bioprospecting fact sheet
click this link: http://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/biprospecting_background_factsheet.pdf
•To access information on the Galenia Africana
(kraalbos) permit click this link: http://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/bioprospecting_permit_rapitrade.pdf
•To access information on the other seven
Bioprospecting permits click this link:
http://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/permits_awarded.pdf
For media queries, please contact:
Background information
In April 2008, under
the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity
Act 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004) the former
Minister of Environmental Affairs established
the regulations for Bioprospecting, Access
and Benefit Sharing. In May 2011, South
Africa took a lead role and signed the Nagoya
protocol in Japan. The Nagoya Protocol is
a legally binding agreement outlining a
set of terms articulating how one country
will gain access to another country's genetic
resources and how the benefits will be shared.
The significance of
South Africa’s party to the Nagoya Protocol
is that it encourages grassroot involvement
in the process of discovery, research and
development phases of products based on
genetic resources. The purpose of the national
legislation is not to restrict access to
resources and collect money, but to ensure
that the resources are accessed for a purpose
that is in the interest of the public. Such
interest could include the protection and
conservation of the genetic resources of
South African animals, plants and other
organisms; stimulating economic development
and promoting scientific research and capacity
in South Africa. The legislation also stipulates
that the money accruing from any benefit
sharing agreement should go into a trust
fund administered by government and then
transferred to the community, in this way
growing the green economy
About us
About us MinistryOverview of the departmentStructureBiographies
Branches
BranchesBiodiversity and ConservationChief
Operating OfficerClimate Change and Air
QualityCorporate Management ServicesChemicals
and Waste ManagementLegal Authorisations
and Compliance InspectorateEnvironmental
ProgrammesOceans and Coasts
Services
ServicesBy statutory bodiesTo all government
spheresBy provincial authoritiesTo the general
public
Strategic Issues
Strategic IssuesJob creationEducationHealthFighting
crimeSustainable development
Documents
DocumentsAnnual reports and strategic plansStrategic
documentsOther documentsForms
Procurement
ProcurementTendersSupply chain
Legislation
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and regulationsInternational agreements
and obligationsGuidelines and policiesGazetted
notices
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galleryMultimedia
Events
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Contact us
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Last modified: 30 July 2012 - 11:31am
