EThewkini Municipality launches of new online system for environmental practitioners
EThekwini Municipality in partnership with the Board
of the Environmental
Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) is pleased to
announce the launch of Online Registration for Environmental Assessment
Practitioners (EAPs) in South Africa.
The launch is a historic moment that marks the formalisation of a vigorous and growing environmental assessment profession. Since the emergence of environmental assessment (EA) as a distinct discipline in the 1970s, South Africans have earned praise internationally for making significant contributions to EA theory and practice.
South Africa is about to embark on an initiative that is - on the available evidence - the first legally-based compulsory EAP Register in the world.
The Municipality has over the years, been utilising EAP’s for environmental consultancy services associated with service delivery projects. We see the regulation of the EAP sector as a great step towards transformation of the sector and holding professionals in this space accountable ethically and professionally.
The municipal area also boasts unique environmental assets whose protection benefits a great deal from environmental legislation of the country. An ethical and professional EAP sector is crucial to the preservation of the environment and wellbeing of citizens. We therefore welcome this launch and call upon municipal officials and citizens at large to attend.
East coast drive’s Bongani Mtolo caught up with Mr Musa Mbhele who is HOD for the development planning, environment and management unit to talk about what this means for the people of KZN.