ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION ACT 73 OF 1989

ENVIRONMENTCONSERVATIONACT73OF1989[/SAPL4][ASSENTEDTO1JUNE1989][DATEOFCOMMENCEMENT:9JUNE1989](EnglishtextsignedbytheStatePresident)asamendedbyEnvironmentConservationAmendmentAct98of1991EnvironmentConservationAmendmentAct79of1992EnvironmentConservationSecondAmendmentAct115of1992EnvironmentConservationAmendmentAct94of1993EnvironmentConservationSecondAmendmentAct189of1993EnvironmentConservationAmendmentAct52of1994ProclamationR29of1995ProclamationR43of1996NationalEnvironmentManagementAct107of1998NationalHeritageResourcesAct25of1999NB:SeeProclamationR29inGovernmentGazette16346of7April1995andProclamationR43inGovernmentGazette17354of8August1996concerningtheextentoftheassignmentoftheadministrationofthisActtotheprovinces.ACTToprovidefortheeffectiveprotectionandcontrolledutilizationoftheenvironmentandformattersincidentalthereto.ARRANGEMENTOFSECTIONSSections1Definitions..........PARTI2-3PolicyforEnvironmentalConservationPARTII4-15CouncilfortheEnvironment,CommitteeforEnvironmentalCo-ordinationandBoardofInvestigation[Headingsubstitutedbys.2ofAct94of1993.]PARTIII16-18ProtectionofNaturalEnvironmentPARTIV19-20ControlofEnvironmentalPollutionPARTV21-23ControlofActivitieswhichmayhaveDetrimentalEffectontheEnvironmentPARTVI24-28ARegulationsPARTVII29-30Offences,PenaltiesandForfeiturePARTVIII31-46GeneralProvisions[a73y1989s1]1DefinitionsInthisAct,unlessthecontextindicatesotherwise-'administrativebody'meansaMinister,competentauthority,localauthority,governmentinstitutionorapersonwhomakesadecisionintermsoftheprovisionsofthisAct;[Definitionof'administrativebody'amendedbyProclamationR43of8August1996.]'Administrator'......[Definitionof'Administrator'insertedbyProclamationR29of7April1995anddeletedbyProclamationR43of8August1996.]'chiefexecutiveofficer'meanstheofficerinchargeoftherelevantlocalauthorityorgovernmentinstitution;'committee'meanstheCommitteeforEnvironmentalCo-ordinationestablishedbysection12;[Definitionof'committee'substitutedbys.1ofAct94of1993.]'competentauthority'insofarasaprovisionofthisActisappliedinorwithreferencetoaparticularprovince,meansthecompetentauthoritytowhomtheadministrationofthisActhasundersection235(8)oftheConstitutionoftheRepublicofSouthAfrica,1993(Act200of1993)beenassignedinthatprovince;[Definitionof'competentauthority'insertedbyProclamationR43of8August1996.]'council'meanstheCouncilfortheEnvironmentestablishedbysection4;'define'includesadescriptionbymeansofamaponwhichsufficientinformationisindicatedtoidentifyanarea;[Definitionof'define'insertedbys.1(a)ofAct79of1992.]'Department'meanstheDepartmentofEnvironmentalAffairsandTourism;[Definitionof'Department'substitutedbys.1(a)ofAct52of1994.]'Director-General'meanstheDirector-General:EnvironmentalAffairsandTourism;[Definitionof'Director-General'substitutedbys.1(b)ofAct52of1994.]'disposalsite'meansasiteusedfortheaccumulationofwastewiththepurposeofdisposingortreatmentofsuchwaste;'ecologicalprocess'meanstheprocessrelatingtotheinteractionbetweenplants,animalsandhumansandtheelementsintheirenvironment;'ecosystem'meansanyself-sustainingandself-regulatingcommunityoforganismsandtheinteractionbetweensuchorganismswithoneanotherandwiththeirenvironment;'environment'meanstheaggregateofsurroundingobjects,conditionsandinfluencesthatinfluencethelifeandhabitsofmanoranyotherorganismorcollectionoforganisms;'environmentalimpactreport'meansareportreferredtoinsection22(2)or23(3);[Definitionof'environmentalimpactreport'substitutedbys.1(b)ofAct79of1992.]'governmentinstitution'meansanyinstitution,body,companyorclosecorporationrecognizedbytheMinisterbynoticeintheGazette;[Definitionof'governmentinstitution'substitutedbys.1(c)ofAct79of1992.]'limiteddevelopmentarea'meansanareadeclaredasalimiteddevelopmentareaintermsofsection23(1);'litter'meansanyobjectormatterdiscardedorleftbehindbythepersoninwhosepossessionorcontrolitwas;[Definitionof'litter'substitutedbys.1(d)ofAct79of1992.]'localauthority',insofarasaprovisionofthisActisappliedinorwithreferencetoaparticularprovince,meansalocalgovernmentbodyoratransitionalcouncil,asthecasemaybe,contemplatedinsection1(1)oftheLocalGovernmentTransitionAct,1993(Act209of1993);[Definitionof'localauthority'substitutedbys.1ofAct98of1991andbyProclamationR29of7April1995.]'managementadvisorycommittee'meansacommitteeestablishedundersection17(1);'Minister'meanstheMinisterofEnvironmentalAffairsandTourism;[Definitionof'Minister'substitutedbys.1(c)ofAct52of1994.]'MinisterofStateExpenditure'-(a)insofarastheadministrationofaprovisionofthisActhasundersection235(8)oftheConstitutionoftheRepublicofSouthAfrica,1993,beenassignedtoacompetentauthoritywithinthejurisdictionofthegovernmentofaprovinceandtheprovisionisappliedinorwithreferencetotheprovinceconcerned,meansthememberoftheExecutiveCouncilofthatprovinceresponsibleforthebudgetintheprovince;or(b)insofarastheadministrationofaprovisionofthisActhasnotbeensoassigned,meanstheMinisterofFinance;[Definitionof'MinisterofStateExpenditure'insertedbyProclamationR29of7April1995.]'OfficialGazette'meanstheProvincialGazetteofaprovince;[Definitiono