Environment minister reflects on his – and the GNU’s – first year in office
When Dion George took office nearly a year ago as the minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment, he did so as part of a new chapter in South Africa’s democratic journey — the formation of the government of national unity (GNU).
George, who was sworn into office on 3 July under the coalition President Cyril Ramaphosa put together after his ANC lost its outright parliament majority — said serving in this government “has required all of us to work collaboratively – sometimes across vastly different perspectives — toward a common goal: delivering real outcomes for the people of South Africa”.
In a media briefing to assess how his department has fared over the past year, George said the GNU has created a situation where departments are increasingly working across silos, “where ideas are strengthened through debate and collective intelligence”, and where the urgency of service delivery is matched by a “shared will to get things done”.
This week analysts said the GNU had delivered desperately needed political stability, but economic transformation and governance reform remained distant goals.
George said his department had approached its work “with a recognition that our environmental mandate is not separate from the economic one, or the social one. They are deeply interconnected.”
Protecting natural resources, wildlife
Among George’s “big six” priority areas is protecting natural resources and wildlife. Here, he cited his department’s significant achievement regarding the protection of the critically endangered African penguin.
“After learning about the sharp population declines and the human impacts causing them, I called for open, lawyer-free discussions that brought together conservation organisations like BirdLife South Africa and Sanccob [Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, industry leaders in the fishing sector and our departmental experts,” he said.
This collaborative approach led to a court-ordered agreement to implement island closures around key breeding colonies.
“We amended the small pelagic fishery permit conditions to enforce these closures, ensuring sustainable fishing near vital penguin habitats,” he said.
These changes were implemented almost immediately.
His department is also tackling the harm caused by bunkering in Algoa Bay, near St Croix Island, once home to the largest African penguin colony in the world. Ship-to-ship refuelling has caused oil spills and underwater noise pollution.
After a temporary pause on bunkering activities in 2023, there was a “small but promising recovery” in the penguin population. The minister said he would soon sign new regulations into law that place strict limits on bunkering in ecologically-sensitive areas.
A coordinated approach has led to prosecutions and a continued decline in rhino poaching incidents, with George noting his department’s attention is also turning to species such as pangolins and abalone. The domestic trade of rhino horn, lion bone and lion parts is also being tackled.
“The lives of these animals are not commodities. They are a vital part of our ecological and cultural identity,” he said.
George said his department’s efforts were showing that jobs can be created, new industries stimulated and growth unlocked, “while caring for the planet”.
He noted that in the fourth quarter of last year, the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors recorded a “remarkable” 17.2% growth, contributing two-thirds of the total GDP growth for that quarter. In the first quarter of this year, these sectors grew by 15.8%.
“These are not just numbers,” he said. “They reflect thousands of jobs and livelihoods sustained. We increased the number of fish species available to small-scale fishers by 36%, boosting income in coastal communities.”
The department’s harbour revitalisation programme has created more than 2 300 work opportunities while through expanded support for sustainable aquaculture, “we’re seeing green technology spark new enterprises along our coasts”.
George said the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal and Mthatha in the Eastern Cape are only the latest signs that the time for talk regarding climate change is over. This is why the department finalised the climate change response plan for coastal adaptation. This plan guides how the department supports vulnerable municipalities and people facing rising sea-levels and extreme weather conditions.
The department secured conditional emissions exemptions for Eskom’s operations under the minimum emission standards.
George said these were not blanket waivers. “Each exemption comes with firm conditions, including health interventions for affected communities, real-time emissions monitoring, and a firm commitment to transition to cleaner energy sources. We are holding polluters accountable.”
The department is working with the presidency and the department of mineral resources and energy to develop a competitive power market, “bringing independent power producers into the fold. The goal is clear: to deliver both energy security and environmental sustainability.”
South Africa has contributed to international environmental governance, and continues to lead. George said it played a major role in negotiating the High Seas Treaty — the first legally binding instrument to protect biodiversity in areas beyond national borders.
At the last climate summit in Baku, South Africa “brokered a deal that balanced the need for ambitious climate action with the reality of our economic conditions”, he said, adding that this agreement unlocked green investment for local projects that will support South Africa’s just energy transition.
“And in our G20 Presidency year, we are hosting major environment and climate sustainability meetings, positioning South Africa as a leader on the African continent and beyond. These engagements not only strengthen our global voice but also attract investment and expertise.”
George said another of his key focus areas has been making his department’s systems more efficient, transparent and responsive. It had launched the regulatory efficiency strategy for environmental turbocharge, a set of reforms to speed up approvals for energy and infrastructure projects, “while still protecting the environment”.
His department had identified 11 renewable energy development zones where significantly simplified environmental impact assessments had reduced approval times from 300 days to 147.
“For lower sensitivity areas, we’ve introduced fast-tracked authorisations that can be processed in around 70 days,” the minister said.
The new national web-based environmental screening tool is “already helping developers identify low-impact sites for projects, streamlining planning and protecting biodiversity”.
Since his appointment, George has finalised 162 environmental appeals, “106 of them since our 100-day feedback session”, which is a “testament to our commitment to fairness, transparency and turnaround times”.
Although the department is operating in a constrained fiscal environment, it has launched a departmental spending review and implemented firm cost-containment measures.
“But, more importantly, we have begun thinking creatively about revenue generation,” he said. “Each branch of our department is tasked with identifying savings and new funding streams.”
This includes sourcing international donor support for enforcement and anti-poaching, innovative financing mechanisms for green projects and working with the treasury on sustainable budget models.
The minister said the South African Forestry Company or Safcol, SANParks and the South African Weather Service are receiving strategic attention to address governance weaknesses and boost their effectiveness.
“We also celebrated the achievement of a clean audit at iSimangaliso Wetland Park — a symbol of what good governance can look like across our sector,” while flagship projects to elevate the country’s environmental brand, improve delivery and stimulate economic opportunity have been initiated.
George said the department is finalising the national carbon credits and biodiversity offsets framework, which will allow companies to “offset emissions responsibly”, while directing funds into conservation and community development.