The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy has clarified that she is the appeals authority on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
Responding to questions around licensing applications in relation to renewable energy projects, Creecy says all decisions regarding the EIA appeals will be dealt with by herself.
She spoke to Journalists ahead of her Budget Vote Speech in Parliament on Friday.
Creecy says they have cut out red tape to shorten the license application turn-round time.
She says, “I have said that there is concern and I think it is the concern of whole society has that all applications for power projects should be dealt with expeditiously so that we can get more megawatts on the grid. I have explained that when, there would be a strategic infrastructure projects which require the 57 days. But what we have tried to do as a department is to streamline decision making on all power applications so that we can ensure that we try to get megawatts on the grid. This is not in response to cabinet colleagues. This is in response to the requirements of the South African citizens.”
VIDEO: Interview with the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy on renewable energy projects:
