18.6.1 Expanding the Policy Drivers to Include Water
and the Environment (1970–)
According to Kruger and Bennett (2013), the first scientific policy analysis regarding
water and forests in South Africa, published in 1949, used scientific evidence and
theoretical principles to challenge the myths of the hydrological benefits of forests,
clarify policy options and introduce the concept that catchment management should
be part of a broader system of ecosystem management. Subsequent reports of
interdepartmental committees on the conservation of mountain catchments (1961)
and afforestation and water supplies (1968) and those of a Commission of Inquiry
into Water Matters (1970) provided the evidence that informed South African
forestry and water policies for the next 30 years (Kruger and Bennett 2013).
The promulgation of the Mountain Catchment Areas Act (Act 63 of 1970)
arguably signalled the first attempt at expanding economic policy drivers regarding
biological invasion management to include environmental ones. Given the research
and review processes described above, this Act was clearly a product of ‘evidencebased policy-making’.
The Mountain Catchment Areas Act is primarily environmental in nature, as its
purpose is to provide for the conservation, use, management and control of land
situated in declared mountain catchment areas. Further evidence for the idea that the
Act is underpinned by environmental concerns is that catchments which are declared
in terms of the Act are now recognised as protected areas in terms of section 9 of the
National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003). It also
has an underlying purpose of conserving water resources through the conservation of
soil and vegetation. Section 3 of the Act empowers the Minister to issue directions,
which may be applicable to catchment areas as well as areas within 5 km of a
catchment area, relating to “the destruction of vegetation which is, in the opinion of
the Minister, intruding vegetation”.
However, although these provisions represent a broadening in existing policy
approaches, the power does not seem to have been utilised in practice. Furthermore,
these environmental concerns did not extend to other protected areas such as national
parks in any meaningful way. For example, the National Parks Act (Act 57 of 1976)
focuses very much on protecting resources in the parks from immediate physical
human activities such as hunting and picking plants (cf, for example, section 21). A
possible exception to this in respect of alien animals is the provision in section 21
(g) which says that no person may “introduce any animal or permit any domestic
animal to stray into or enter a park”.
18.6.2 CARA and the Return to Form (1983–)
Notwithstanding the broadening of policy drivers introduced by the Mountain
Catchment Areas Act, the 1980s largely returned to form from a regulatory approach
530
P. Lukey and J. Hall
and the Environment (1970–)
According to Kruger and Bennett (2013), the first scientific policy analysis regarding
water and forests in South Africa, published in 1949, used scientific evidence and
theoretical principles to challenge the myths of the hydrological benefits of forests,
clarify policy options and introduce the concept that catchment management should
be part of a broader system of ecosystem management. Subsequent reports of
interdepartmental committees on the conservation of mountain catchments (1961)
and afforestation and water supplies (1968) and those of a Commission of Inquiry
into Water Matters (1970) provided the evidence that informed South African
forestry and water policies for the next 30 years (Kruger and Bennett 2013).
The promulgation of the Mountain Catchment Areas Act (Act 63 of 1970)
arguably signalled the first attempt at expanding economic policy drivers regarding
biological invasion management to include environmental ones. Given the research
and review processes described above, this Act was clearly a product of ‘evidencebased policy-making’.
The Mountain Catchment Areas Act is primarily environmental in nature, as its
purpose is to provide for the conservation, use, management and control of land
situated in declared mountain catchment areas. Further evidence for the idea that the
Act is underpinned by environmental concerns is that catchments which are declared
in terms of the Act are now recognised as protected areas in terms of section 9 of the
National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003). It also
has an underlying purpose of conserving water resources through the conservation of
soil and vegetation. Section 3 of the Act empowers the Minister to issue directions,
which may be applicable to catchment areas as well as areas within 5 km of a
catchment area, relating to “the destruction of vegetation which is, in the opinion of
the Minister, intruding vegetation”.
However, although these provisions represent a broadening in existing policy
approaches, the power does not seem to have been utilised in practice. Furthermore,
these environmental concerns did not extend to other protected areas such as national
parks in any meaningful way. For example, the National Parks Act (Act 57 of 1976)
focuses very much on protecting resources in the parks from immediate physical
human activities such as hunting and picking plants (cf, for example, section 21). A
possible exception to this in respect of alien animals is the provision in section 21
(g) which says that no person may “introduce any animal or permit any domestic
animal to stray into or enter a park”.
18.6.2 CARA and the Return to Form (1983–)
Notwithstanding the broadening of policy drivers introduced by the Mountain
Catchment Areas Act, the 1980s largely returned to form from a regulatory approach
530
P. Lukey and J. Hall