announcements, tablings and committee reports - Parliament of ...

Tuesday, 29 October 2013] 4913create an environmental framework to regulate and monitorthis activity.(b) The Portfolio Committee noted the recent occurrences ofshipping incidents along the South African coastlineaccompanied by coastal oil pollution; and noting the report ofthe Department on the legal, institutional and operationalarrangements for response to such incidents, including theinherent challenges of such arrangements, and historicalaspects, resolves:(i)(ii)that a review is carried out on the legal frameworkgoverning the Department’s pollution combatingfunctions and the overlapping mandate with theDepartment of Transport and their role and functionwith regard to shipping and marine pollution; andnoting the serious effects that such incidents couldhave on the coastal and marine environment, includingthe potential for significant prejudice to the public, theDepartment should enter into negotiations with theDepartment of Transport to identify options forrationalisation of the marine pollution function as itrelates to shipping.(c) Clause 13 amending section 18 of the Act, relates to thedesignation of strips of coastal access land by municipalitiesand the subsequent registration of a public servitude. Thisclause and the Act itself rely on the cooperation and effectiveimplementation and action by all three spheres of government.One of the essential functions which have been assigned tomunicipalities is section 18 of the Act, which relates to thedesignation of strips of coastal access land and the subsequentregistration of servitudes in favour of the public. This provisionwill ensure that the public has reasonable access at designatedpoints along the coast to the beach and sea areas as part ofcoastal public property. In light of this important function,ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS NO 147─2013