VZCZCXRO3646
RR RUEHAST RUEHBZ RUEHDH RUEHDU RUEHHM RUEHJO RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHMR
RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHRN RUEHSL RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHSA #2453/01 3350649
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 010649Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0412
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
INFO RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 7384
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 1455
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 9739

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 002453 
 
DEPT FOR OES/PCI, OES/ENV, AND AF/S 
DEPT PASS EPA/OIA, 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SENV SOCI ETRD SF
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY MONTHLY 
BRIEFINGS, OCTOBER 2009 
 
PRETORIA 00002453  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  This is the South African Environment, Science and 
Technology Monthly Briefings Newsletter, October 2009, Volume 4, 
Number 10, prepared by the U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa. 
 
Topics of the newsletter: 
 
-- Super-Thin Film Solar Panels Readied for Production in South 
Africa 
 
-- BUSA Calls for Balanced Outcome at the December Climate Change 
Conference 
 
-- Fallow Deer and Rabbit Culling Underway on Robin Island 
 
-- SANParks to Team Up with the Military against Poachers 
 
-- Blue Flag Beaches on the Rise in South Africa 
 
 
-- South Africa and Zimbabwe Partner to Clean Up Borders 
 
-- SA Opposition Party Warns of Hazardous Waste Threat 
 
-- Air Pollution Costs South Africa Billions in Healthcare 
 
-- MONTHLY FACTOID 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Super-Thin Film Solar Panels Readied for 
Production in South Africa 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶1. (U) A public-private partnership (PPP) between the Central Energy 
Fund, the National Empowerment Fund, and private investors such as 
petrochemicals giant Sasol and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) 
has been set up to commercialize super-thin film solar technology in 
South Africa. The Thin Film Solar Technology (TFST) partnership 
plans to build a facility that will produce thin-film solar modules. 
The European Investment Bank agreed to invest 40 million ($59 
million) in the South African plant, which will be located in the 
Western Cape. TFST was researched and developed in South Africa, 
patented in 2003, and further developed at UJ from 2004 to 2006. The 
energy pay-back for TFST is two to three years, compared with about 
seven years for crystalline photo-voltaic panels. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
BUSA Calls for a Balanced Outcome at the 
December Climate Change Conference 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Business Unity of South Africa (BUSA), which represents a 
large segment of the business sector in the country, has joined in 
the call for a balanced outcome at the climate change conference in 
Copenhagen, in December. For BUSA, a balanced outcome will recognize 
both the development challenges faced by developing countries and 
the positive role that business can play in creating a sustainable 
agreement that will be more successful than the Kyoto Protocol has 
been. BUSA maintains that a successful agreement has to be built on 
the principle that climate change is a fundamental issue that would 
have a major impact on society, especially in the developing 
countries. National studies have shown that climate change would 
impact negatively on agriculture, biodiversity, health and water 
supply in South Africa.  According to BUSA, climate change needs to 
be addressed in an integrated manner, encompassing key issues in 
society such as economic development to alleviate poverty, energy 
security and affordable access to energy, job creation and the 
protection of biodiversity. The international community needs to 
take urgent action on this matter, and business as usual is no 
longer an option according to the organization. Business must also 
commit to a low carbon emission growth path. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Fallow Deer and Rabbit Culling Underway on 
Robin Island 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) The Robin Island culling project to control exploding rabbit 
Q3. (U) The Robin Island culling project to control exploding rabbit 
and fallow deer populations is underway, the Island's Heritage 
Museum manager James Makila announced in October. He said over 1,600 
rabbits and 174 fallow deer have been culled in the last three weeks 
of October. Makila said the culling is being carried out by a team 
of experienced professionals who only operate when no tourists are 
present. The carcasses of the rabbits are buried on the island, 
while deer are shipped to the mainland by a private company that 
uses the meat. Robin Island's environmentalists blamed the rabbit 
 
PRETORIA 00002453  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
and deer for having eaten most of the island's edible vegetation, 
including stinging nettle. 
 
¶4. (U) The rabbits, estimated at over 25,000, were introduced to the 
island by early sailors as a source of meat. The deer, which number 
more than 500, were brought in from Europe in the 20th century. 
Cats were initially on the culling list, but they will instead be 
trapped and shipped to the mainland. Cats have been blamed for 
eating penguin chicks, the swift tern, Hartlaub's gull and the 
highly endangered bank cormorant. The activist group, Animal Rights 
Africa raised concern and outrage at what they called an 
"illegitimate" killing of animals. They accused the island 
authorities of violating the Animals Protection Act and appealed to 
the public to help them institute legal proceedings against the 
authorities. Meanwhile Makola stated that they were acting on the 
advice of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and 
Cape Nature. He also added that culling was the best option given 
the conditions and challenges faced by the island. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
SANParks to Team Up with the Military Against Poachers 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶5. (U) South African National Parks (SANParks) Executive Director 
David Mabunda has announced that the Kruger National Park (KNP) was 
planning to use military patrols to intensify the fight against 
poaching in the park. Mabunda, who was speaking at the pass-out 
parade of 57 new field rangers in Skukuza inside the KNP, stated 
that poachers have killed 94 rhinos around the country this year. He 
said 38 rhinos were lost in the KNP, 21 in Kwa-Zulu Natal, 10 in the 
North West, nine in Limpopo, seven in Gauteng, five in Mpumalanga 
and four in the Eastern Cape provinces. Mabunda said the rangers 
would work with law enforcement agencies to combat poaching, and he 
was already engaged in advanced discussions with the military 
authorities in that regard. According to Mabunda, SANParks has also 
been involved in cross-border patrol operations with the South 
African Police Services and Mozambican counterparts, which have 
yielded significant progress. He added that the SANParks rangers 
have arrested 22 poachers this year. Mabunda noted that his 
organization has invested R5.2 million ($690,000) for fighting 
poaching. The money was used to acquire bicycles, motorbikes, and a 
bantam aircraft for aerial patrols as well as high technology night 
vision equipment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Blue Flag Beaches on the Rise in South Africa 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The Minister of Tourism Marthinus Van Schalkwyk announced 
that 29 South African Beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag status 
this year. He noted that this was ten more beaches than last year, 
an important achievement for the country. The Blue Flag is awarded 
to beaches that have achieved the highest quality standards in 
water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. 
Van Schalkwyk, who is also a former Minister of Environmental 
Affairs, said that the Blue Flag Beaches increased South Africa's 
desirability and reputation as a world class destination, which also 
demonstrated the country's commitment to taking care of the 
environment. South Africa and Morocco are the only African countries 
Qenvironment. South Africa and Morocco are the only African countries 
that participate in this international awarding scheme, which acts 
as guarantee to tourists that a beach they are visiting is one of 
the best in the world and is internationally certified. South Africa 
has been participating in the Blue Flag Awards program since 2001 
and the number of beaches awarded the status is consistently on the 
increase. 
 
 
--------------------------------- 
South Africa and Zimbabwe Partner 
to Clean Up Borders 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U)In an effort to heighten awareness of the need for 
environmental conservation among communities residing on the borders 
of South Africa and Zimbabwe, the South African Deputy Minister of 
Water and Environmental Affairs Joyce Mabudafhasi, and the 
Zimbabwean Environmental Minister Francis Nhema launched a Clean-Up 
Campaign on the Beit Bridge border post. Mabudafhasi said the 
initiative would also be used to highlight other critical 
environmental issues such as climate change, air quality and the 
need for the continent to forge strong links on matters pertaining 
to sustainable development. The Deputy Minister said similar 
initiatives would be rolled out to other countries bordering South 
Africa such as Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. She 
stated that it was important for the continent to speak with one 
 
PRETORIA 00002453  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
voice at the forthcoming climate change conference in Copenhagen, 
because Africa would bear the brunt of climate change. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
SA Opposition Party Warns of Hazardous Waste Threat 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶8.  Only three out of nine provinces of South Africa have structured 
plans to deal with hazardous waste according to the Minister of the 
Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (DWEA), Buyelwa 
Sonjica. The Minister made the statement in a written reply to a 
parliamentary question. She noted that the provinces of Gauteng, 
North West and Western Cape have developed hazardous waste plans. 
However, Sonjica also noted that provincial hazardous waste plans 
were yet to be submitted to and assessed by DWEA as this was not 
obligatory according to the law. A clause from the National 
Environmental Management Act stipulated that the provinces could 
develop such plans "should they elect to do so".  Annette Lovemore, 
the environmental affairs spokesperson of the opposition party 
Democratic Alliance (DA), stated that this was a "dangerous lack of 
oversight and control" in the management of hazardous waste in South 
Africa. She said the waste included infectious, carcinogenic, toxic, 
explosive and radioactive substances which pose a grave threat to 
the environment and human health. Lovemore noted that a 1999 State 
of the Environment Report indicated that only five percent of the 
five million cubic meters of hazardous waste generated yearly 
reached hazardous waste disposal facilities. Lovemore emphasized 
that her party would pursue the matter. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Air Pollution Costs South Africa Billions in Healthcare 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶9.  Chief Director for Air Quality Management in the Department of 
Environmental Affairs (DEA) Peter Lukey stated that healthcare costs 
resulting from air pollution associated with burning fossil fuels in 
South Africa has amounted to R4 billion ($555 million). Peter Lukey 
told attendees at an Air Quality Governance Lekgotla (public 
gathering) that poor people were disproportionally affected by air 
pollution because they use coal fire for cooking and heating, and 
also lived in poorly ventilated areas. He attributed the poor 
communities' costly health situation to the policies of apartheid 
noting that poor people were often allocated living areas downwind 
from industrial plants as no one wanted to live there. Lukey said, 
"The poor carry a double burden because firstly, they are poor and 
secondly, they are sick." Meanwhile in the same meeting, the Deputy 
Minister of DEA Mrs. Rejoice Mabudafhasi launched the first South 
African State of the Air Report. The report provides a detailed and 
in-depth analysis of air quality in South Africa, and provides also 
a baseline on the levels of air pollution in the country. Some of 
the information contained in the report includes human health 
impacts related to inhalation of household coal and wood fire 
emissions and related direct health spending. Air quality in South 
Africa is regulated by the National Environmental Management Act: 
Air Quality Act 39 of 2004. 
 
------- 
Factoid 
------- 
 
In 1991 South Africa became the first country in the world to 
protect the great white shark. 
Qprotect the great white shark. 
 
Gips