Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, 2003 (Act No. 53 of 2003)Industry ChartersForest Sector Charter13. Enterprise Development13.2 Additional Instruments13.2.6 Access to raw material supply for small scale charcoal production and domestic fuelwood |
Continued access to raw material supply is necessary to ensure sustainability of small-scale charcoal production. It is recognised that the Working for Water (WfW) Programme has an important role to play in supporting access to raw material through the removal of invasive alien plants and in creating black enterprise development opportunities associated therewith. At the same time, many poor rural communities in energy poor areas of the country are reliant on alien species for the bulk of their fuelwood needs.
Therefore, Government, through DWAF, undertakes to:
| (a) | Implement the WfW programme under policies that will ensure a sustainable, albeit reduced, supply of plant material for fuelwood and charcoal production. |
| (b) | Disseminate information on the availability of raw material sources as an initiative under the WfW programme. |
| (c) | Promote the development of B-BBEE enterprises linked to the utilisation of wood products from the clearing of invasive alien trees. |
| (d) | Supporting additional enterprise development opportunities based on the effective and sustainable utilization of invasive alien species. This will be done by developing alternative forest products from such species and developing the business case for such projects. |
| (e) | Implement a programme aimed at transforming selected accessible (dense) stands of invasive alien trees to managed woodlots in order to improve the productive potential of land. |
These measures will be operational within one year of the signing of the Charter.