Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment is the environment minister in the Cabinet of South Africa. The minister has political responsibility for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
List
  • 10 other official names:
  • Minister van Omgewingsake (Afrikaans)
  • uNgqongqotjhe wezeBhoduluko (Southern Ndebele)
  • UMphathiswa lezeNdalo (Xhosa)
  • Indvuna Wezindaba Zezemvelo (Zulu)
  • Indvuna Letendzawo (Swazi)
  • Tona ya Merero ya Tikologo (Northern Sotho)
  • Letona la Merero ya Tikoloho (Sotho)
  • Tona la Merero ya Tikologo (Tswana)
  • Holobye ya swa Mbangu (Tsonga)
  • Minisiṱa wa zwa Mupo (Venda)
Incumbent
Dion George
since 30 June 2024
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
AppointerPresident of South Africa
Inaugural holderBarbara Creecy
Formation29 May 2019
DeputyNarend Singh
Bernice Swarts
SalaryR1,811,142[1]
Websitewww.dffe.gov.za

The office was established in its current form in May 2019. Before then, the environment minister had a smaller portfolio between 2014 and 2019 as the Minister of Environmental Affairs, and an enlarged portfolio between 1994 and 2014 as the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs (2009 to 2014) and the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (1994 to 2009).

It has been described as one of the most efficient ministries in South Africa.[citation needed]

History

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The environmental affairs portfolio originated in the apartheid era. From 1994, under President Nelson Mandela, it subsumed the Ministry of Tourism, becoming the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism with responsibility for the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.[2] When he announced his first cabinet on 10 May 2009, President Jacob Zuma severed the environment portfolio from the new Ministry of Tourism and gave it the water affairs function, creating the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs.[3] However, with the appointment of Zuma's second cabinet on 25 May 2014, this portfolio was bifurcated, creating the dedicated Ministry of Environmental Affairs to oversee the Department of Environmental Affairs (and a separate Ministry of Water and Sanitation to oversee water affairs).[4]

Throughout the post-apartheid era, forestry and fisheries had not been handled by the environment portfolio, but instead were the responsibility of the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry (until 2009) and later the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (from 2009 to 2019). When he announced his second cabinet on 29 May 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa assigned forestry and fisheries to the environment portfolio, creating the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.[5] Barbara Creecy was the inaugural holder of that office.[6]

List of ministers

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List of ministers responsible for the environment, 1994–present
Portfolio Name Term Party
Environmental Affairs and Tourism Dawie de Villiers 1994 1996 NP
Pallo Jordan 1996 1999 ANC
Valli Moosa 1999 2004 ANC
Marthinus van Schalkwyk 2004 2009 NP
Water and Environmental Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica 2009 2010 ANC
Edna Molewa 2010 2014 ANC
Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa 2014 2018 ANC
Nomvula Mokonyane 2018 2019 ANC
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy 2019 2024 ANC
Dion George 2024 Incumbent DA

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Determination of salaries and allowance of the Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. 545 (33780). Government Printer: 3–5. 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2011.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Burger, Delien (ed.). Pocket Guide to South Africa 2008/2009 (6th ed.). Government Communication and Information System. pp. 36–37. ISBN 978-0-621-38413-0.
  3. ^ "Statement by President Jacob Zuma on the appointment of the new Cabinet" (Press release). Government Communication and Information System. 10 May 2009. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  4. ^ "President Jacob Zuma announces members of the National Executive". Government Communication and Information System. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  5. ^ Head, Tom (29 May 2019). "Ramaphosa announces his Cabinet: Here's the complete list of ministers". The South African. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  6. ^ Stone, Setumo (2 June 2019). "Barbara Creecy will build on work of predecessors as she inherits department in 'good shape'". City Press. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
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