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Environmental activists are to make a submission on Thursday to try to stop government’s plan to amend the South African Weather Service Act, saying it would render the Air Quality Act “meaningless”.
The bill, among other proposed restrictions, is aimed at “protecting the general public against the distribution of inaccurate or hoax warnings or weather predictions that could cause public panic and lead to evacuations and/or the unwarranted waste of resources – money, people and techno-logy”, say officials.
However, Durban environmental activist Desmond D’Sa said the proposed amendments were “madness”.
“The amendments have negative implications for the environment. We will not be able to reveal the results of air quality tests that we take in the Durban South basin on a regular basis.
“The Air Quality Act will become meaningless,” he said.
According to the amendment, people could face a R10 million fine or 10 years’ jail for issuing information that may be construed as a “severe weather or pollution-related warning”, without written permission from the weather service.
Robin Hugo, the staff attorney at the Centre for Environmental Rights in Cape Town, said they would make their submission today.
Hugo said the submission would encompass the concerns of several environmental groups, including those from the South Durban basin.
“The department has set January 17 and 18 for public comment on the bill, but I believe those dates might change,” she said.
DA environmental affairs spokesman Gareth Morgan said the prohibition from making pollution-related warnings without official consent was “absurd”.
“The NGOs that work in the highly polluted communities such as the South Durban basin perform excellent work, monitoring pollution, that supplements the work of the state.
“Why should they seek permission from the weather service to issue a warning?” he said.
Albie Modise, spokesman for the Environment Department, said the bill would ensure there was no possible confusion over warnings.
“If it comes from the weather service, it is official. If it does not, check with the weather service first,” he said. - The Mercury
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Sugen Chetty, wrote
To be fair there were many hoax emails, sms's and messages in the social media that have an effect and essentially giving power to anyone with access with internet (This opens us up to specculation with an effect by the originator.) However whoever breathes the air, drinks the water, and feels the rain on their skin i.e. Joe taxpayer, has a right to know whats in it. Ideally individuals should be allowed to filter their own material. However one can understand how propaganda has an influence. (If I believed everything I saw on TV I might still think that US and UK are the two richest countries in the world.) Lets also not forget that the updated Air Quality Act also lowers emission levels for process industries.
jandr0, wrote
This would be OK if I could trust a government. However, NO government is to be trusted. How many wars are initiated by governments? How much oppression is caused by governments? How much of our individual freedoms are being destroyed by our South African government in particular?
On_Meth, wrote
I'd also like to hear what SAWS or DEAT have to say. So far in all these reports there's nothing from them. But I can say one thing for sure. The only reason this bill exists is to secure ALL of DEATParliment funding for SAWS alone, even though they cannot do the job!
Anonymous, wrote
Are we allowed to mention the storm in the tea cup? I guess not. How are they going to prevent websites like weatherunderground.com from reporting on severe weather in SA?
Neil, wrote
I'm looking out my window. It's sunny. Oops, I've just reported the weather. Come arrest me.
JR, wrote
Yet another attempt by the government to muzzel information they want to hide like polution warnings etc. So basically what this means I cannot text a friend to warn them that there is a large storm on the way in case they pass it on to others? Pathetic. The government should be focusing on making laws that actually contribute to this country and also focussing on what is important like fighting corruption and crime. Bunch of loosers
Bob, wrote
There shall be only once source of truth... and if they are not inclined to warn about some pollution issue, then we shall remain in ignorance. For an example of this, see the nuclear accident in Japan, where TEPCO and the government lied about the situation, and it was up to independent testers to release the truth. Qui bono?
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