Barbara Creecy (Grade C)

Department
Forestry, Fisheries and Environment

Key Goals

1. Improve overall audit outcomes: Not achieved

2. Implement recommendations of High Level Panel on Management, Breeding, Hunting, Trade and Handling of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhino: Progress

3. Establish a Draft White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity: Progress

4. Develop a game meat strategy: Progress

Analysis

When Barbara Creecy briefed the parliamentary portfolio committee on forestry, fisheries and the environment on the qualified audit from the auditor general, she said her department “did not have the luxury of being able to sit and cry in a corner” and had to start working on remedial measures. Receiving an unqualified audit was a key goal for her, but it appears her clean-up of the department has stalled.

Creecy has championed the urgency of climate change and green energy issues, at a time when South Africa needs alternatives to Eskom and polluting coal-fired power. 

The Climate Change Bill is under final consultation and the Just Transition Framework has been adopted under the Presidential Climate Change Commission, while cabinet has endorsed the Just Energy Transition Partnership, 97% of which is in the form of loans. 

Creecy appealed parts of the landmark Deadly Air judgment on the Mpumalanga Highveld, which recognised that poor air quality contravened the constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to people’s health and well-being. Her department is now finalising regulations for implementing and enforcing priority area air quality management plans, as per the court’s order, but this needs to be aligned with the judgment and the just transition.

The results of the 2021 Fishing Rights Allocation Process were published in February and her department, with an independent appeals team, is working through the appeals to ensure that the process has been fair.

Ministers

Cyril Ramaphosa	David Mabuza	Maite Nkoana-Mashabane	Fikile Mbalula
Angie Motshekga	Aaron Motsoaledi	Nathi Mthethwa	Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Mmamoloko Kubayi	Thandi Ruth Modise	Khumbudzo Ntshavheni	Ebrahim Patel
Naledi Pandor	Mathume Joseph Phaahla	Pravin Gordhan	Senzo Mchunu
Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams	Lindiwe Sisulu	Thokozile Didiza	Lindiwe Zulu
Patricia DeLille	Ronald Lamola	Barbara Creecy	Bheki Cele
Blade Nzimande	Mondli Gungubele	Enoch Godongwana	Gwede Mantashe
	Thulas Nxesi (Public Service and Administration)	Thulas Nxesi (Employment and Labour)