Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts Leads an Engagement in Sarah Baartman Manucipality , Eastern Cape with the Small Scale Fisheries 🐟🎣 #EmpoweringCoastalCommunities #SmallScaleFisheries #DFFE #blueeconomy

♻️ INVITATION TO THE E-WASTE IMBIZO ♻️ Join the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, as she leads the launch of the E-Waste Recycling Pilot Project & Imbizo in Mthatha. 🗓 Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 ⏰ Time: 08h00 – 15h30 📍 Venue: Rotary Stadium, Ward 2, Ngangelizwe, Mthatha 💻📱 Bring your electronic waste and get paid R4.50 per kg! 🪪 Please bring your ID document when selling electronic waste. Together, let’s build cleaner communities, create green opportunities, and promote responsible recycling for a sustainable future. 🌍♻️ #EWasteImbizo #GoodGreenDeeds #Recycling #EnvironmentalAwareness #Mthatha DFFE BerniceSwarts GoGreen

In 2021, the High level Panel stated that there are risks to employment, economy, and to the lions themselves associated with an immediate trade ban with captive lions and derivatives. What scientific evidence exists to back this up? ✅ In 2023, the Ministerial Task Team carried out a full SWOT and feasibility analysis of potential voluntary exit options from the captive lion industry and provided a list of viable options that accounted for risks to employment, the economy and the lions. ✅ A GAP analysis was carried out in 2021 on the captive lion industry and specific action steps were proposed in five key areas (regulation, animal welfare, health and safety, equitability, and conservation) to help inform a responsible phase out. Minister @Aucamp are you aware of all the evidence-based information that supports the phase out of the commercial captive lion industry? What are your next steps? #CancelCaptivity #WildOverCaptive #LackOfProgress Further reading 👉 in our stories and bio

Engagement with Small-Scale Fisheries in Sarah Baartman Municipality, Eastern Cape Today, 18 May 2026 Deputy Minister Swarts met with Small Scale Fishers under the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. The engagement responds to concerns raised directly by fishers within the Kouga, Koukamma and Ndlambe Municipalities regarding operational, developmental and socio-economic challenges affecting the sector. The engagement forms part of Governments broader commitment to strengthening stakeholder engagement, improving implementation of the Policy for Small- Scale Fisheries Sector in South Africa: 2012, and ensuring that coastal communities benefit meaningfully from participation in the Oceans Economy. #EmpoweringCoastalCommunities #SmallScaleFisheries #DFFE #BlueEconomy

Day 1 of the PROTEGO EPR Study Tour in South Africa, hosted by the DFFE. 🇿🇦♻️ 💡🐟 PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea is a 3-year project (July 2024 - June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Partners: Ghana: @plastic_punch | @gnopc_official e Nigeria: @waste_africa | @nigeriacic #PROTEGO #EPR #Sustainability #PlasticPunch🌊🅿️🥊

We’re challenging you to identify our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - where in South Africa are we today? Here are your clues: - This coastline forms part of one of South Africa’s oldest Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Some of the country’s southernmost coral reefs thrive here - Humpback whales migrate past these waters each year (the season is starting - keep an eye out for their migration along our coastline!) - Loggerhead and leatherback turtles return to these beaches to nest - Hippos, crocodiles, reefs, dunes, wetlands and open ocean all exist in one interconnected ecosystem Protected areas like these help safeguard biodiversity, support fisheries, and preserve some of South Africa’s most important marine habitats for future generations. Think you know where this is? Comment below with your guess! Image credits: Peter Chadwick via .za/

It’s Endangered Species Day today. Opal is a Bornean orangutan - a critically endangered species. A precious being who deserves protection, dignity, comfort, and companionship. So why has she been languishing at Natal Zoological Gardens for decades? Living alone in a small barren enclosure. Even with the recent additions to her enrichment, this remains an entirely unsuitable environment and life for a great ape. There has been global outrage about Opal’s situation for many years. Organisations have tried to have her relocated to a sanctuary, but the zoo refuses to let her go, and current legislation under the outdated Animal Protection Act 71 of 1962 leaves little power to force change. Why won’t the South African Government take action? We reached out to Minister @aucamp.willie of the @dffenvironment , but he refused to intervene. We won’t give up. We’ll continue speaking out for Opal and advocating for the life she deserves. 🦧 #EndangeredSpeciesDay #GetVocalForOpal #NatalZoologicalGardens #OpalOrangutan #FriendsOfOpal

Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts joined the City of Johannesburg Mayoral Lekgotla, where she delivered a key presentation on strengthening waste management systems across the City. The engagement focused on advancing sustainable waste solutions, improving service delivery, promoting environmental responsibility, and building cleaner, greener communities for all residents. The Deputy Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to working with local municipalities to drive innovation, accountability, and effective waste management practices that support a more sustainable future. #CityOfJoburg #MayoralLekgotla #WasteManagement #CleanerCities SustainableDevelopment EnvironmentalLeadership ServiceDelivery DFFE

In 2021, the High level Panel stated that in South Africa there is a large number of lions in captivity and registered lion bone stockpiles. What is the scientific evidence to back this up? ✅ A national lion audit in 2023 identified 7,838 lions in 342 facilities in South Africa. Compared to 2005, this is a 214% increase in lions and 584% increase in the number of lion farms over an 18-year period. ✅ South Africa has about 2.5 times more lions in captivity than free-roaming, self-sustaining wild lions. ✅ Registered lion bone stockpiles in 2023 consisted of approximately 3,230 skeletons, not accounting for the Eastern Cape, Free State and Limpopo, who produced no or partial data. Minister @aucamp.willie are you aware of all the evidence-based information that supports the phase out of the commercial captive lion industry? What are your next steps? #CancelCaptivity #WildOverCaptive #LackOfProgress Further reading 👉 /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Final-MTT-report-Mar-2024-.pdf /10.3957/056.055.0390

This Endangered Species Day, we’re spotlighting some of the shark and ray species facing an uncertain future in our oceans - from the Critically Endangered raggedtooth shark and scalloped hammerhead, to the Endangered whale shark, shortfin mako, and South Africa’s own endemic puffadder shyshark. Many of these species are threatened by overfishing, bycatch, habitat loss, and the global shark fin trade. Some, like wedgefishes and guitarfishes, are now considered among the most threatened marine fish on Earth. Featured species: 🦈 Honeycomb ray - EN 🦈 Puffadder shyshark - EN & endemic to South Africa 🦈 Raggedtooth shark - CR 🦈 Whale shark - EN 🦈 Shortfin mako - EN 🦈 Common eagle ray - CR 🦈 Scalloped hammerhead - CR These species are more than statistics on a Red List. They are vital to our marine ecosystems and biodiversity, and their survival depends on stronger protection, sustainable fisheries management, and changing the way we engage with and value our oceans. Video credit: @leigh_de_necker , @freediver.angie & @arenea_becker

🌊 Empowering Coastal Communities Through Inclusive Engagement 🇿🇦 Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts, alongside the Executive Mayor of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Cllr Deon de Vos, and the Executive Mayor of Kouga Local Municipality, Cllr Hattingh Bornman, will host a Small Scale Fisheries Stakeholder Engagement in Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape. The engagement aims to strengthen collaboration with coastal communities, support sustainable livelihoods, and advance the development of the small-scale fisheries sector. 🎣🌍 📍 Venue: Newton Hall, Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape 📅 Date: 18 May 2026 ⏰ Time: 10h00 Together, we continue building resilient coastal communities and creating opportunities for economic empowerment and sustainable development. #EmpoweringCoastalCommunities #SmallScaleFisheries #DFFE #EasternCape #JeffreysBay SustainableDevelopment OperationPhakisa BlueEconomy

A century of conservation, tourism, heritage, and wild beauty 🌍 Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, joins Wandile Mazibuko to reflect on 100 years of the Kruger National Park and its role in shaping South Africa’s environmental legacy and tourism economy. Catch the conversation on Thursday, 14 May 2026 at 17:15 on Taking Care of Business. The interview will also be available afterwards on RISE Rewind. #WillieAucamp #TakingCareOfBusinessOnRISEfm #RISEfm943 #myRISEfm #MpumalangaAzishe