

Foreword



What is this report?

In February 1993 the ANC, COSATU, SACP and SANCO put together a group of people to look at environmental issues in South Africa. This was called the International Environmental Policy Mission. It was supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.

There were twelve full-time people on the Mission: six South Africans and one person from Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. There were also four part-time South African members, and three trainees. The Mission members are listed at the back of this report. The Mission travelled around South Africa talking to people, communities and organisations about environmental issues.


Mission members wrote a draft report. It was based on what they had learned as they travelled around the country.

Some time later, the Mission members held meetings with organisations, groups and individuals to discuss the draft report. They presented the draft report to President Mandela. They also met with government ministers and officials, industry representatives, trade unions, non-governmental organisations, environmental scientists, and civic organisations.

Many people sent comments to the Mission members about the report. The Mission members then wrote the final report. This document is a simple version of that report. This is so that all South Africans can read it.

The aim of the report is to suggest how the new government, and all South Africans can make sure that our environment is properly protected.

What the Mission had to do:

The Mission was asked to look at the present situation and make suggestions for the future about:

- policies and activities in South Africa that affect the environment

- the way environmental policies are made

- whether environmental issues have been included in government policies and actions  in areas such as housing, farming, giving people electricity, and so on

- how easy it is for the public to get information about environmental issues

- how environmental programmes in South Africa are paid for

- the laws that protect the environment, and whether these laws are good enough, and

- our relationship to other countries about environmental protection.

The Mission looked at whether environmental policies and programmes in South Africa meet the needs of women and workers.

The Mission looked at environmental education, and how to build capacity and train people on environmental issues.





