Committee Annual Performance Plan and Programme

Video The Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment reviewed its performance for 2025/26, considered and adopted its revised Committee 2026/27 Strategic and Annual Performance Plans. On its 2025/26 performance, the Committee achieved 82% of its planned targets but a number of outstanding oversight challenges were identified, including waste management, environmental pollution, fisheries management, local government performance, leadership vacancies in departmental entities, and community beneficiation from environmental resources. Members questioned why the capacity-building budget had been reduced from R408 000 to R50 000 and if the reduction would weaken Members' ability to perform technical oversight. They also raised concerns about the prolonged vacancy of the Chief Executive Officer position at South African Forestry Company Limited (SAFCOL); leadership instability at South African National Parks (SANParks), and the prevalence of acting appointments at SAFCOL. There was also a question on how the Committee could oversee economic growth and job creation when the APP contained no measurable employment targets. On outstanding Committee resolutions, Members asked what mechanisms would ensure implementation of the 14 outstanding resolutions, and how recurring unresolved matters would be prevented from continually being carried forward. Some Members questioned how the Committee measures its actual impact beyond simply counting meetings and reports, and if oversight activities were resulting in real environmental and community improvements. In response, examples were cited included improved audit outcomes, interventions benefiting small-scale fishers, reduced human-wildlife conflicts, increased community participation in conservation economies, and transformation initiatives in the wildlife sector. However, the Committee acknowledged the need to better demonstrate measurable outcomes. On the legislative programme, Members asked why the APP showed no bills scheduled for processing, despite six environmental bills expected from the Department. The Committee was informed that bills cannot be included until they are formally introduced and referred by Parliament, making timelines uncertain. On international invitations and study tours, Members asked for clarification on invitations from Germany and Antarctica-related engagements and their relevance to Committee work. On accountability of provinces and municipalities, Members asked how the Committee would ensure provinces and municipalities were held accountable for environmental performance and how cross-cutting environmental problems involving multiple departments would be addressed. Members also raised concerns about waste management, and noted that more than 122 million tonnes of waste were generated annually while only about one third was recycled. There was also ongoing illegal dumping and poor municipal waste management. Questions focused on what measurable targets the Committee should use to assess improvement and what the Committee itself could do to improve outcomes. Members asked why Parliament and the Committee were generally excluded from recommend nominating boards of environmental entities when those boards later report to Parliament. It was explained that the legislation assigns appointment powers to the Executive. Involving oversight committees directly in appointments could create conflicts when those committees were later required to scrutinise board performance. On environmental levies and tyre waste, Members raised concerns about the plastic and tyre levies and if levy revenues were being effectively used for environmental projects. In response, the Committee heard that National Treasury is open to allocating levy revenues to environmental projects but requires clear project plans from the Department. Concerns were also raised about disputes affecting tyre recycling programmes and the growing environmental risks posed by stockpiled tyres. The Committee fourth term programme was adopted but it deferred a briefing on captive lion breeding exit strategies to 2027. Preparations for participation in COP31 in Türkiye would continue, pending final approvals and logistical arrangements.