South African Weather Services soon to issue air pollution warnings

The mandate of the South African Weather Services (SAWS) is about to be extended to involve the issuing of air pollution warnings.  Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs has invited comments on the Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011.  The purpose of the Bill is to amend the South African Weather Services Act, 2001, so as to:

·         Substitute and insert certain definitions;

·         Extend the objectives and functions of the South African Weather Service to deal with ambient air quality information services;

·         Provide for a performance management system for the Chief Executive Officer to align the Weather Service Board with the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1 of 1999) by providing the Board to be the accounting authority for the Weather Service;

·         Delete certain obsolete provisions;

·         Provide for the limitation of liability of the Weather Service; and

·         Provide for the Minister to amend the Schedules to the Act by notice in the Gazette, to provide for offences and penalties; and to amend the Schedules to the Act

The purpose of the South African Weather Services Act, 2001 (Act No 8 of 2001) was to establish the Weather Service Agency, to determine its objects, functions and method of work, to prescribe the manner in which it is to be managed and governed, and to regulate its staff and financial matters.  SAWS is a trusted provider of weather and climate information and has played an integral role in assisting government to minimise the impact of weather-related hazards and informed policy on climate change. The Bill seeks to amend the Act to ensure that the objectives of the Act are met in a more sustainable, effective and efficient manner.

The Minister of Water Affairs, published the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011 in General Notice 278 of 2011, in Government Gazette No. 34268 of 6 May 2011.  The Bill was introduced in the National Assembly (proposed section 75) with an explanatory summary of the Bill published in Government Gazette No. 34648 of 30 September 2011. The Portfolio Committee invites all interested stakeholders to submit written comments on the subject matter not later than 12 January 2012. Public hearings are targeted for 17 and 18 January 2012. Specific dates and times will be provided after the deadline has been met. For more information, visit the Department of Environmental Affairs website.