ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PRACTITIONERS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PRACTITIONERS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA’S PROPOSED ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA’S PROPOSED CONTRIBUTION TO QUALITY ASSURANCE IN CONTRIBUTION TO QUALITY ASSURANCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESMENT PRACTICE IN SOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESMENT PRACTICE IN SOUTH AFRICAAFRICA

Sibusisiwe Hlela (Chairperson of the Board)Sibusisiwe Hlela (Chairperson of the Board)

PURPOSE OF THE SUBMISSION BY EAPASAPURPOSE OF THE SUBMISSION BY EAPASA

• To provide progress on the process of establishing a To provide progress on the process of establishing a Registration Authority for Environmental Assessment Registration Authority for Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) as envisaged in Section 24H of the Practitioners (EAPs) as envisaged in Section 24H of the National Environmental Management Act of 1998, as National Environmental Management Act of 1998, as amended, as one of the solutions in strengthening the amended, as one of the solutions in strengthening the EIA Regime in SA. EIA Regime in SA.

• The The first outcomefirst outcome is the establishment of a is the establishment of a representative and recognised association that would representative and recognised association that would constitute a Registration Authority with an agreed constitute a Registration Authority with an agreed registration system. This outcome was achieved on 22 registration system. This outcome was achieved on 22 February 2012 with the founding of the EAPASA Board.February 2012 with the founding of the EAPASA Board.

FRONT ROW: Danie Neumann (Treasurer) , Snowy Mothiba (Secretary), Sibusisiwe Hlela (Chairperson), FRONT ROW: Danie Neumann (Treasurer) , Snowy Mothiba (Secretary), Sibusisiwe Hlela (Chairperson),

Gerrie van Schalkwyk (Vice Chairperson), Karen Shippey Gerrie van Schalkwyk (Vice Chairperson), Karen Shippey

MIDDLE ROW: Richard Hill, Carmen du Toit, Chumisa Thengwa, MIDDLE ROW: Richard Hill, Carmen du Toit, Chumisa Thengwa,

Amanda Britz , Sibonelo Mbanjwa Amanda Britz , Sibonelo Mbanjwa

BACK ROW: Garth Barnes, Khangwelo Musetsho, BACK ROW: Garth Barnes, Khangwelo Musetsho,

Paul HardcastlePaul Hardcastle

PURPOSE OF THE PURPOSE OF THE SUBMISSION BY EAPASASUBMISSION BY EAPASA

• The The second outcomesecond outcome is the registration of a is the registration of a qualification for environmental assessment practice qualification for environmental assessment practice within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in collaboration with the South African in collaboration with the South African Qualifications Authority. Qualifications Authority.

• The The third outcomethird outcome is the conclusion of relevant is the conclusion of relevant enabling legal mechanisms making it compulsory enabling legal mechanisms making it compulsory for EAPs to be registered. This will be implemented for EAPs to be registered. This will be implemented when the Minister appoints EAPASA as a when the Minister appoints EAPASA as a Registration Authority for EAPs in terms of Section Registration Authority for EAPs in terms of Section 24H of NEMA.24H of NEMA.

EAPASA’s objectivesEAPASA’s objectives

The objectives of the Association are:The objectives of the Association are:

•To promote continued professional development for To promote continued professional development for EAPs in South Africa;EAPs in South Africa;

•To promote the empowerment of black and female To promote the empowerment of black and female professionals within the environmental assessment professionals within the environmental assessment (EA) field and the transformation of EA practice; and(EA) field and the transformation of EA practice; and

•To promote awareness of the purpose and practice To promote awareness of the purpose and practice of environmental assessment inof environmental assessment in South Africa.South Africa.

EAPASA’s contribution EAPASA’s contribution

• The call for responses to efficacy of SA’s EIA regime The call for responses to efficacy of SA’s EIA regime indicated a number of challenges and critiques facing indicated a number of challenges and critiques facing the EIA process. the EIA process.

• Quality assurance in environmental assessment Quality assurance in environmental assessment practice is an essential part of enabling an effective practice is an essential part of enabling an effective environmental assessment regime. environmental assessment regime.

• Hence the main purpose of EAPASA is to advance the Hence the main purpose of EAPASA is to advance the quality of environmental assessment practice in South quality of environmental assessment practice in South Africa by establishing, promoting and maintaining Africa by establishing, promoting and maintaining registration of EAPs in terms of registration of EAPs in terms of

NEMA S24H NEMA S24H

EAPASA’s contributionEAPASA’s contribution

Experience has shown that competence of Experience has shown that competence of practitioners has a bearing on some of the practitioners has a bearing on some of the challenges experienced in the EIA regime. challenges experienced in the EIA regime.

EAPASA’s role is then to address competence so EAPASA’s role is then to address competence so that EAPs can produce quality work and abide by that EAPs can produce quality work and abide by the code of ethical conduct and practice. The the code of ethical conduct and practice. The EAPASA’s Constitution contains the code of EAPASA’s Constitution contains the code of conduct regulating the ethical and professional conduct regulating the ethical and professional conduct of members of the association.conduct of members of the association.

EAPASA’s contributionEAPASA’s contribution

• EAPASA will contribute to the efficacy of EIA Regime EAPASA will contribute to the efficacy of EIA Regime in the country by providing relevant authorities, in the country by providing relevant authorities, development proponents and the public in general development proponents and the public in general with quality assurance regarding EAPs appointed to with quality assurance regarding EAPs appointed to conduct and regulate environmental assessments conduct and regulate environmental assessments by:by:

Establishing criteria (education, professional experience, Establishing criteria (education, professional experience, competency and continued professional development competency and continued professional development requirements) and procedures for registration and requirements) and procedures for registration and sanction of EAPs;sanction of EAPs;

Upholding a defined Code of Ethical Conduct and Practice Upholding a defined Code of Ethical Conduct and Practice and acting in the best interest of the environment, and acting in the best interest of the environment, sustainable development and the public good; andsustainable development and the public good; and

Establishing disciplinary procedures Establishing disciplinary procedures

and sanction mechanisms.and sanction mechanisms.

EAPASA’s contributionEAPASA’s contribution

• EAPASA is in the process of applying to SAQA to be EAPASA is in the process of applying to SAQA to be recognised as the Professional Body and registering a recognised as the Professional Body and registering a professional designation in terms of the National professional designation in terms of the National Qualifications Framework Act, Act 67 of 2008Qualifications Framework Act, Act 67 of 2008

• The Board will engage with the Council on Higher The Board will engage with the Council on Higher Education (CHE) through its Higher Education Quality Education (CHE) through its Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) to facilitate the accreditation of Committee (HEQC) to facilitate the accreditation of learning programmes against the EA qualificationlearning programmes against the EA qualification

RecommendationRecommendation

• EAPASA submitted the request for funding to the EAPASA submitted the request for funding to the Department of Environmental Affairs, however the Department of Environmental Affairs, however the DEA has limited resources.DEA has limited resources.

• EAPASA is respectfully requesting the Portfolio EAPASA is respectfully requesting the Portfolio Committee to review the allocations of the DEA in Committee to review the allocations of the DEA in order to enable the full implementation of the order to enable the full implementation of the registration of EAPs as envisaged in S24H of NEMA, registration of EAPs as envisaged in S24H of NEMA, as the registration of EAPs is one of the solutions in as the registration of EAPs is one of the solutions in strengthening the EIA Regime in SA.strengthening the EIA Regime in SA.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU