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NEWS: Coastal wetlands are unable to adapt to the rate of sea-level rise and are constrained by infrastructure

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Wetlands, precious ecosystems that shield coastlines, safeguard drinking water from saltwater contamination, and nourish diverse wildlife, face a dire threat from the accelerating pace of sea-level rise, driven by global warming. Wetlands have historically adapted to rising sea levels by expanding upward and inland. However, predictions indicate that the waterline will soon shift far too rapidly for wetlands to keep pace. Consequently, future decades may witness the tragic loss of these vital wetland ecosystems. Wetlands along coastlines have historically played valuable roles for people and wildlife, but are now facing the threat of sea-level rise. As temperatures rise, sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, and wetlands are unable to keep pace by building upward and migrating inland. This is due to human-induced climate change and the burning of fossil fuels, which has warmed the oceans and melted glaciers. Sea levels are now rising at about 10 millimeters per year, and are
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NEWS: Public works, SIU declare war on infrastructure tender corruption

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Public works minister Patricia de Lille and Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head advocate Andy Mothibi launched the Infrastructure Built Anti-corruption Forum (IBACF), which aims to “effectively” monitor infrastructure projects and put measures in place to detect and prevent corruption.


“The Infrastructure Built Anti-corruption Forum (IBACF) will bring a level of transparency and give credibility to the infrastructure investment plan. We need all hands on deck. We bring together all stakeholders, private sector [and] state institutions to work with us. Corruption is causing a trust deficit between government and investors. We need to fix it,” De Lille said.

“We must show that the government is capable of holding the corrupt to account,” she added. 

In May 2020, cabinet approved the creation of South Africa’s infrastructure investment plan as part of economic reconstruction and recovery initiatives. The plan seeks to boost growth in the battered economy and create jobs. 


About R10-million has been set aside to ensure the working of the forum across an industry that is known for high levels of corruption.

Mothibi said that, based on SIU investigations under various proclamations over the years, it was found that the construction sector was vulnerable to “price fixing, high Construction Industry Development Board grading[s] issued to non-deserving contractors, and issuing of illegal environmental permits for large developers to develop in sensitive environmental areas”.

The state was also defrauded via the use of substandard construction material in order to increase profits, and by the facilitation of bribes and kickbacks.  

“The current value of alleged irregularities investigated by the SIU in the infrastructure built investigations is to date totalling over R10-billion. It will be very important that transparency is introduced in the infrastructure build procurement process and that an effective corruption risk framework is introduced,” Mothibi said.

He said the forum would “ensure that we identify areas of co-operation to enhance prevention, detection, civil litigation and prosecution of fraud and corruption in the sector”. 

“The IBACF consists of diverse stakeholders which will assist in resolving corruption allegations speedily. These include law enforcement agencies, civil society, regulators, government departments and [the] private sector,” he said.

It was agreed that one of the main tasks of the forum would be looking into incentivising whistle blowers and rewarding such for making available information that leads to the successful prosecution of offenders.  

The SIU has been mandated with implementing corruption prevention programmes and undertaking corruption-vulnerable sector risk assessments (CSRAs) in sectors that have been identified as vulnerable to fraud and corruption. 

Mothibi said it was through the CSRAs that it was established that the infrastructure and construction sector required immediate attention. 



De Lille said her department would require quarterly reports on the progress in investigations. 

“We have established a forum steering committee. It will also monitor referrals and ensure we fast-track those. We must invest more money and time in prevention, rather than having commissions of inquiry later, when the damage has been done. We are determined to continue delivering good infrastructure for our people without corruption,”

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 26, 2021 at 12:46 PM

    It is long overdue that they effect this. I think they need to dove tail this with putting effective barriers to entry into the industry. If you are not a built environmentalist, what are you doing here in this industry?

    Some of us fortunate enough to have entered via the narrow gate of tertiary level education and hard fought and earned experience through blood sweat and tears are left with a sour taste in our mouths when uncle Joel or Cousin Shadreck gets a tender because he is connected or he has money.

    Money can not substitute the passion for the process I have and the right to be first in line for opportunities I have sacrificed my entire career for. The scary thing too is that they also overlook the general workers who have toiled in for example former white companies who in my view would make excellent SMMEs. Instead tenders are given to buddies in the inner circles for kickbacks

    It is a most welcome development and arrests must be made. Life style audits of officials and recipients should be conducted, total shake down and asset forfeiture should be the order of the day including hefty sentencing

    We are tired of watching this industry being taken for a joke by chance takers who think they can bully their way in with graft and threats and are above the law

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