ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Environmental Component is a key Departmental intervention to give effect to immediate environmental management and sustainable development challenges and priorities in KwaZulu-Natal. Firstly, those arising from the need to implement a new suite of environmental legislation, promulgated to give effect to the constitutional environmental right. Secondly, the Component faces challenges and priorities relating to effectively fulfilling the lead agent coordinating and facilitating role in the Province. The component’s strategic focus is to find ways to overcome these challenges and to assist its clients, through support mechanisms, to meet these priorities.

In pursuit of service excellence, we desire a holistic approach to sustainable environmental management practices.

We, in recognition of our stakeholders, will develop and maintain an environmental management strategy that supports sustainable livelihoods.

In doing so, we as a team, are committed to continual improvement, and by the demonstration of our expertise and professionalism, will render an efficient and effective service to our clients; be accountable and promote equity in the context of local, national, regional and international obligations.

This component aims to ensure effective compliance and governance concerning environmental management, while simultaneously focusing on key issues such as community empowerment, information management and dissemination and sustainable rural development.

Strategic objectives

The strategic objectives of the component are aligned with the legislative mandate and strategic outcomes of Department. The aim of this component is to ensure the sustainable use and protection of the environment of KwaZulu-Natal through appropriate regulatory and empowerment mechanisms.

The main objectives are as follows:

• To facilitate sound co-operative environmental governance through participative planning and information system development, and capacity building;

• To participate in the development and facilitation of implementation of environmental policies, regulations, legislation and guidelines;

• To develop a framework and operational tools (norms and standards, decision support mechanism, internal policies, training manuals and templates) for the improvement of the environmental impact assessment process including appeals, whilst ensuring environmentally sustainable socio-economic development in KwaZulu-Natal;

• To facilitate and co-ordinate effective integrated pollution, chemical and waste management practices, cleaner production principles and sustainable utilization and re-use of resources in KwaZulu-Natal and to provide strategic support to the regional offices to facilitate implementation of such practices;

• To facilitate the attainment of acceptable air quality and the development of mitigation measures to combat climate change;

• To facilitate and co-ordinate effective integrated coastal management and sustainable coastal development in KZN, and provide strategic support to the management and implementation of special area management in KZN;

• To promote environmental empowerment and capacity building; as well as BBEE

• To promote natural and community-based sustainable resource use and management so as to ensure sustainable job creation;

• To facilitate environmental information management for informed decision making;

• To ensure effective financial management that complies with PFMA;

• To facilitate environmental impact mitigation so as to promote sustainable development; and a safe, healthy and sustainable environment;

• To establish opportunities for developing communities.

Customers

This component will be reliant on securing meaningful partnerships with the regions, industries, communities, youths, stakeholders, local municipalities, Non-Governmental Organizations, Tertiary institutions, Governmental Departments, mainly the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.