WESSA Annual Report 2023-2024

process for the remaining policies over the course of 2024. Our WESSA staff and volunteers in our branches and regions have undertaken an immense amount of work this past year; responding to pollution incidents, biodiversity policy matters and numerous EIA applications (many for new mines). In several cases these responses were done in consultation or conjunction with other environmental or civil society partners.

Advocacy Efforts

WESSA encourages our members and supporters to participate in our planned bi-monthly ‘WESSA in Action!’ webinars starting in April. They aim to showcase our Advocacy actions, conservation and enviro-education projects, create synergies with our membership activities and promote discussions on significant environmental issues affecting our splendid biodiversity. • Commenting in support of the Department of Forestry, Fisheres & the Environment’s proposed phasing out of captive lion breeding. Mega-Living Landscapes and the management of the Algoa MPA. • South Coast Branch engaging with the EIA for the controversial Umzimkhulu estuarine weir. • Lowveld Region assisting to end the wildlife conflict concerning the hippos in the Magoebaskloof. • NAR opposing numerous mining applications in the buffer zones of the Magaliesberg Biosphere. • NAR partnering with other stake holders to arrange independent water quality testing of the highly polluted Hartbeespoort Dam; to support its engagements with Department of Water & Sanitation.

• Objecting to the three Karpowerships applications (gas fuelled electricity generating ships proposed at the ports of Saldanha, Ngqura and Richards Bay; DFFE suspended the approvals process or refused to authorise these applications. • Onshore and offshore (seismic surveying) mining explorations. WESSA has been engaging with the other key South African conservation NGOs such as WWF, EWT and Birdlife, and environmental lawyers in how to collectively respond to mining’s threat to biodiversity and people’s livelihoods. • Promoting no-fishing zones around penguin colonies, so as to halt this iconic species decline towards extinction. • Articles published in various national newspapers on mining, energy and to achieve the global biodiversity conservation target of 30% of land and marine spaces conserved by 2030 (the 30x30 Protected Areas target of the Global Biodiversity Framework). WESSA has supported the drafting of the proposed strategic outputs, outcomes and activities of three of the 30x30 implementation task teams. This work is expected to connect with

our volunteers and staff conservation and advocacy activities, involving citizen science projects, Friends Groups, biodiversity stewardship and conservancies. The 30x30 PA Target and Enviro NGO Alliance workstreams are also providing a platform for WESSA to be able to connect with and foster inclusion of emerging and/or grassroots conservation and advocacy NGOs. public consultation principle issues, especially in the Daily Maverick. • Extensive numbers of renewable energy generation facilities and Battery Energy Systems (BES). • City of Cape Town’s three sewerage marine pipeline outfall permit renewals process. In response to ours and other civil society groups calling for the pre-treatment of the sewage, the CoCT has started down the road on potentially implementing this by identifying land for siting pre treatment works. • Representation on the Hout Bay River Forum that has successfully worked with the CoCT to limit sewerage pollution of the river. • Algoa Bay Branch members engaging with SANParks with respect to its proposed expansion of the Addo

Sani Branch anti-litter campaign (Russel Suchet & Heather Wilson)

The Advocacy unit is also intimately involved in a number of conservation collaboration, policy and strategic actions, such as representing WESSA on the IUCN South African National Committee, the Environmental NGO Alliance (of prominent and grass-roots environmental NGOs), Sharks & People forum and on three of the 6 task teams heading up South Africa’s commitment

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WESSA ANNUAL REPORT 2023 – 2024

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