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Tuesday, 29 October 2013] 490114 Amendment of section 17: TerminologyThe proposed amendment seeks to clarify terminology. Theterm “coastal waters” is more accurate in the context.15 Amendment of sections 18 and 19: Designation of coastalaccess stripsCurrently, there is no power to intervene if a municipality failsto designate coastal access land which is an essentialfunction in complying with the objectives of the Act. Given theDepartment’s strategic focus on access of beaches by thepublic, it is important to empower the Member of the ExecutiveCouncil (MEC) and failing the MEC, the Minister to act if amunicipality fails to do so. Provisions clarifying the nature ofthe public servitude, which is created once access strips aredesignated, are also amended.16 Amendment to section 22: Powers of Minister to exciseprotected areasThis clause has been amended to insert the wording fromsection 87 which allows the Minister to exercise powers inrelation to excising national protected areas from the coastalprotection zone.17 Amendment of section 25: Coastal set-back linesThere was confusion between EIA development set-back lines(in terms of the NEMA Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) regulations) and coastal setback lines under this Act. Itis, therefore, proposed that ‘coastal setback-lines’ be changedto ‘coastal management lines’. The proposed amendments tothese sections are consequential to that change. In addition, afew problems were raised during the public consultations. TheAct, in section 26, provides that coastal boundaries may bedetermined or adjusted by notice in the Gazette. However,section 25 of the Act provides that the MEC must inANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS NO 147─2013