The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development (EARD) Portfolio Committee invites all interested stakeholders and individuals to comment on the National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Bill [B24B-2021].

This amendment Bill is centred around veldfires – an important environmental issue that has caused major devastation over the years. It seeks to amend the National Veld and Forest Fires Act, 1998 in a number of ways  which include –

  • to amend and insert certain definitions in the Principal Act;
  • to make provision for the facilitation of the formation of fire protection associations by a municipality and a traditional council;
  • to compel municipalities, public entities, or other organs of state that own land to join the fire protection associations;
  • to extend the powers of entry, search, seizure and arrest to peace officers and traditional leaders;
  • to amend the title of the Act to the National Veldfire Act; and
  • to provide for matters connected therewith.

All individuals and organisations with an interest in this legislation are invited to give their input using any of the following options:

  1. Attend a public hearing on Friday, 18 August 2023 at the Tshwane House, 320 Madiba Street, Pretoria Central or on 25 August 2023 at the Vereeniging Banquet Hall, Cnr Leslie Street and Beaconsfield Avenue, Vereeniging. The meetings will start at 10h00 on both days.
  1.  Live stream through the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s YouTube and Facebook pages from 10h00 on 18 and 25 August 2023; or
  1.  Make a written submission to Ms Lebogang Mampe (Committee Coordinator) lmampe@gpl.gov.za or Mr Ben Dhlomo (Public Participation Officer) bdhlomo@gpl.gov.za. Closing date for all written submissions is 25 August 2023.

A pre-hearing workshop will be held at the Johannesburg City Hall on 14 August 2023 at 10h00. The workshop is meant to educate the public on the contents of the Bill prior to the planned public hearings. 

For more information, visit the GPL  website on www.gpl.gov.za or contact Ms Lebogang Mampe on 071 483 0221 or Mr Ben Dhlomo on 079 522 9131.

MEETING DOCUMENTS

B24B-2021-National-Veld-and-Forest-Fire-Amendment-BillDownload
Presentation-by-Gauteng-Depaertment-on-Natural-Veld-Fire-BillDownload
Summary-of-NVF-Amendment-Bill-_-AfrikaansDownload
Summary-of-NVF-Amendment-Bill_-EnglishDownload
B24B-2021-Memorandum-on-the-Objects-of-the-National-Veld-and-Forest-Fire-Amendment-Bill_isiZulu-1Download
B24B-2021-Memorandum-on-the-Objects-of-the-National-Veld-and-Forest-Fire-Amendment-Bill_Sepedi-1Download
B24B-2021-Memorandum-on-the-Objects-of-the-National-Veld-and-Forest-Fire-Amendment-Bill_Sesotho-1Download
B24B-2021-Memorandum-on-the-Objjects-of-the-National-Veld-and-Forest-Fire-Amendment-Bill_Afrikaans-1Download