Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp
SCORE: C-
Aucamp has been in office for just over a month, making any assessment preliminary. His rating is contingent on his ability to act decisively in the coming months.
He inherits a mixed portfolio. His predecessor Dion George delivered notable wins: increased protection for African penguins, implementation of Southern African vulture strategies, designation of 11 renewable energy development zones, coastal climate adaptation plans, and strengthened biodiversity financing. But systemic challenges persist. Pollution — including water contamination and widespread waste mismanagement — continues to threaten ecosystems, public health, and local economies.
Weak fisheries enforcement, illegal harvesting and permit backlogs slow conservation action. Institutional inertia and underfunded compliance units hamper responsiveness. Aucamp faces immediate trust deficits due to his public ties to hunting and wildlife-breeding industries, provoking skepticism among conservationists and animal welfare advocates.
George also established formal regulatory structures for wildlife breeding and captive programmes, creating a framework that Aucamp now oversees, amid serious concerns of his conflicts of interests.
Governance weaknesses inherited from past administrations, slow permitting, and ongoing environmental crises require urgent attention. In his first weeks, Aucamp has engaged departmental leaders and signalled intent to continue climate commitments, renewable energy initiatives and biodiversity programmes.
The department’s capacity to deliver effective enforcement, tackle pollution and waste crises, and rebuild stakeholder trust will define his tenure.