politically-constrained processes without evidence input. They believe that policy
which is based on evidence is also likely to give policy-makers confidence in the
decisions that they take and that scientific evidence exposes policy-making to a
wider range of validated concepts and experiences, enables policies to be formulated
based on solid technical bases and can open up a range of policy options for policymakers to consider.
DPME’s evidence-based policy and implementation process recognises four
stages: the first is the ‘diagnostic’ stage that is effectively a problem analysis to define
what the actual problem is through cause-and-effect relationships. It also includes
identifying the various options for addressing the problem. The second stage is the
‘planning’ stage which defines the theory of change and describes what must be done
to bring about the desired change efficiently and effectively. This is then followed by
the ‘output’ stage where the policy is implemented, monitored, reviewed and refined.
The final, fourth stage is an ‘outcome and impact’ evaluation where the impact of the
policy is evaluated (DPME and UCT 2014). Ideally the development of a policy goes
through this cycle a few times and is constantly improved and refined.
With this as background, the following sections look at South Africa’s biological
invasion policies and legislation from the mid-1800s to the present through an
evidence-based policy-making lens and attempt to identify what the key policy
drivers have been and may be in the future (see supplementary material for a full
list of all laws relevant to biological invasions in South Africa since 1861). Although
biological invasions involve many groups of species, the following sections deal
chiefly with invasive plants as this has been the principal focus historically in
formulating biological invasion policy and legislation. The limited mention of
other species is therefore a reflection of policy and legislative priorities as opposed
to a deliberate omission.
18.3 The Early Days: 1860 to 1909—Colonialism
and Weeds
The earliest example of biological invasion legislation in South Africa that we are
aware of was passed in 1861. At the time, western-style law-making took place in
four politically demarcated areas in South Africa, namely, the British Colony of the
Cape of Good Hope; the British Colony of Natal; the Transvaal/South African
Republic; and the Orange Free State. (The latter were also briefly British colonies
from 1902 to 1910, during which time they were known as the Transvaal and Orange
River Colonies).
On 14 August 1861, the Second Parliament of the Colony of the Cape of Good
Hope promulgated the Xanthium Spinosum Act (Cape of Good Hope Parliament
1871). This statute was “[a]n Act for promoting the Extirpation of the Burr Weed
called Xanthium Spinosum” (Act 22 of 1861, Fig. 18.1). It was specifically aimed at
eradicating and destroying “the noxious plant known as the Xanthium Spinosum, or
518
P. Lukey and J. Hall
which is based on evidence is also likely to give policy-makers confidence in the
decisions that they take and that scientific evidence exposes policy-making to a
wider range of validated concepts and experiences, enables policies to be formulated
based on solid technical bases and can open up a range of policy options for policymakers to consider.
DPME’s evidence-based policy and implementation process recognises four
stages: the first is the ‘diagnostic’ stage that is effectively a problem analysis to define
what the actual problem is through cause-and-effect relationships. It also includes
identifying the various options for addressing the problem. The second stage is the
‘planning’ stage which defines the theory of change and describes what must be done
to bring about the desired change efficiently and effectively. This is then followed by
the ‘output’ stage where the policy is implemented, monitored, reviewed and refined.
The final, fourth stage is an ‘outcome and impact’ evaluation where the impact of the
policy is evaluated (DPME and UCT 2014). Ideally the development of a policy goes
through this cycle a few times and is constantly improved and refined.
With this as background, the following sections look at South Africa’s biological
invasion policies and legislation from the mid-1800s to the present through an
evidence-based policy-making lens and attempt to identify what the key policy
drivers have been and may be in the future (see supplementary material for a full
list of all laws relevant to biological invasions in South Africa since 1861). Although
biological invasions involve many groups of species, the following sections deal
chiefly with invasive plants as this has been the principal focus historically in
formulating biological invasion policy and legislation. The limited mention of
other species is therefore a reflection of policy and legislative priorities as opposed
to a deliberate omission.
18.3 The Early Days: 1860 to 1909—Colonialism
and Weeds
The earliest example of biological invasion legislation in South Africa that we are
aware of was passed in 1861. At the time, western-style law-making took place in
four politically demarcated areas in South Africa, namely, the British Colony of the
Cape of Good Hope; the British Colony of Natal; the Transvaal/South African
Republic; and the Orange Free State. (The latter were also briefly British colonies
from 1902 to 1910, during which time they were known as the Transvaal and Orange
River Colonies).
On 14 August 1861, the Second Parliament of the Colony of the Cape of Good
Hope promulgated the Xanthium Spinosum Act (Cape of Good Hope Parliament
1871). This statute was “[a]n Act for promoting the Extirpation of the Burr Weed
called Xanthium Spinosum” (Act 22 of 1861, Fig. 18.1). It was specifically aimed at
eradicating and destroying “the noxious plant known as the Xanthium Spinosum, or
518
P. Lukey and J. Hall