Department Of Tourism And Environmental Affairs, We as humanity continue to consume the earths’ resources at ever-increasing and unsustainable rates. This serves a course of rapidly accelerating trends of environmental degradation and climate change globally, which threaten to undermine existing and future developmental potential and opportunity.
As a result of this increased national awareness of these risks and threats to development in South Africa, environmental considerations are being mainstreamed in development policies across the economy. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa empowers us as a sector and the Department of Environmental Affairs continues to endeavour for the full realization of the right to an environment that is not harmful to the health and well-being of South Africans and all those who live in our country.
As the sector and the Department, we aim to radically transform our approach to environmental protection, while also balancing it with socio-economic development – crucial pillars on which sustainable development rests. As a nation, we adopted the National Development Plan, which maps out the vision of the country for the 20 years ahead. In the environment sector, we will implement related aspects of the priority areas that deal with environmental protection and sustainable development.
Also in our quest to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, particularly environmental protection and poverty reduction, we continue to promote various initiatives that galvanise unprecedented efforts to make South Africa a better country for all who live in it. The department, therefore, aims to provide leadership in environmental management, utilization, conservation and protection of ecological infrastructure.
| Director-General: Nosipho Ngcaba |
| Director-General’s Contact Details | |
| E-mail: | [email protected] |
| Tel: | +27 86 111 2468 / +27 12 399 9008 |
Mandate and core business
The Department of Environmental Affairs is mandated to give effect to the right of citizens to an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing, and to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations. To this end, the department provides leadership in environmental management, conservation and protection towards sustainability for the benefit of South Africans and the global community.
Mission statement
Vision
A prosperous and equitable society living in harmony with our natural resources.
Mission
Providing leadership in environmental management, conservation and protection towards sustainability for the benefit of South Africans and the global community
Values
Driven by our Passion as custodians and ambassadors of the environment we have to be Proactive and foster innovative thinking and solutions to environmental management premised on a People-centric approach that recognises the centrality of Batho Pele, for it is when we put our people first that we will serve with Integrity, an important ingredient in a high Performance driven organisation such as ours.
Passion
- We are passionate about our values and we live them in our day-to-day activities
- We are dedicated to our work and go the extra mile
- We show pride in our mandate, mission and vision
- As custodians and ambassadors of the environment we render quality service to the SA public
- We build and promote an energizing and inspiring work environment
- We assertively promote and advocate our standpoints, messages and reputation
People-centric
- We demonstrate openness and willingness to learn from each other and to support others in their endeavour to learn and to expand their strengths
- We respect and appreciate everyone’s individual strengths
- We show empathy when interacting with others
- We display a professional and confident stance, even in difficult situations
- We exercise gentle authority Input
- We support and assist one another
- We promote work-life balance
Integrity
- We make informed decisions in order to optimize outcomes and to manage risk
- We behave ethically and confront and correct unethical behaviour
- We allow and invite honest debate – we listen first to understand each other
- We respect and value all individuals, inside and outside the organization, for their diverse backgrounds, strengths, styles and ideas, regardless of their rank
- We are honest and keep our commitments and promises made to others
- We drive the department’s agenda rather than pursuing self-interest
- We support a decision once it is taken and we are supportive and positive about others when apart
Performance
- We are focused on our key result areas and manage activities that slow down their achievement or do not add value to these
- We accept accountability for our decisions, actions and results
- We work as a team capitalizing on people’s individual strengths to secure our outcomes
- We demonstrate a “can-do” attitude and strive for fast delivery of results
- We help others to perform at their best by giving open feedback and by supporting their individual development plans
- We involve everyone in our plans, goals and decisions who is affected
Proactive
- We foster innovative thinking and solutions
- We adopt best available science, knowledge and practice
- We are open-minded, willing to listen and to learn from others
- We strive for improvement and we drive and support change
- We cooperate across all organizational structures and break down existing silos
- We work collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders, establish shared goals and
Strategic objectives
Administration
- Purpose: Provide leadership, strategic, centralised administration, executive support, corporate services and, facilitate effective cooperative governance, international relations and environmental education and awareness
- Strategic Objectives:
- Equitable and sound corporate governance
- Value focused funding and resourcing (leveraged public and private sector investments)
- Adequate, appropriately skilled, transformed and diverse workforce
- Secure harmonious and conducive working environment
- Strengthened Leadership and embedded DEA culture
- Efficient and effective Information Technology systems
- Improved profile, support and capacity for the environment sector
- Effective partnership, cooperative governance and Local Government support
- Enhanced sector monitoring and evaluation
- Strengthened knowledge, science and policy interface
- Effective knowledge and information management for the sector
- Enhanced international cooperation supportive of SA environmental /sustainable development priorities
Legal Authorisations and Compliance Enforcement
- Purpose:
- Promote the development and implementation of an enabling legal regime and licensing/ authorisation system to ensure enforcement and compliance with environmental law
- Strategic Objectives:
- Improved compliance with environmental legislation
- Coherent and aligned multi-sector regulatory system and decision support across Government
- Improved compliance with environmental legislation
- Coherent and aligned multi-sector regulatory system and decision support across Government
Oceans and Coastal Management
- Purpose: Promote, manage and provide strategic leadership on oceans and coastal conservation
- Strategic Objective:
- Threats to environmental quality and integrity managed
- Strengthened knowledge, science and policy interface
- Ecosystems conserved, managed and sustainably used
- Threats to environmental quality and integrity managed
- Strengthened knowledge, science and policy interface
- Enhanced sector monitoring and evaluation
Climate Change and air Quality Management
- Purpose: Improve air and atmospheric quality, lead and support, inform, monitor and report efficient and effective international, national and significant provincial and local responses to climate change
- Strategic Objectives:
- Threats to environmental quality and integrity managed
- Negative impacts on health and wellbeing minimised
- Enhanced sector monitoring and evaluation
Biodiversity and Conservation
- Purpose: Ensure the regulation and management of all biodiversity, heritage and conservation matters in a manner that facilitates sustainable economic growth and development
- Strategic Objectives:
- Ecosystems conserved, managed and sustainably used
- Improved access, fair and equitable sharing of benefits
- Strengthened knowledge, science and policy interface
Environmental Programmes
- Purpose: Implementation of expanded public works and green economy projects in the environmental sector
- Strategic objectives:
- Improved socio-economic benefits
- Ecosystems conserved, managed and sustainably used
- Threats to environment quality and integrity managed
Chemicals and Waste Management
- Purpose: Manage and ensure that chemicals and waste management policies and legislation are implemented and enforced in compliance with chemicals and waste management authorisations, directives and agreements
- Strategic Objectives:
- Threats to environmental quality and integrity managed
- Negative impacts on health and wellbeing minimised
- Growth in industries that depend on environmental services