Environment Conservation Act, 1989 (Act No. 73 of 1989)Part III : Protection of Natural Environment17. Management advisory committees in respect of protected natural environment |
| 1) | A competent authority may in respect of any protected natural environment establish a management advisory committee to advise him with regard to the control and management of such protected natural environment in order to advance the objects referred to in section 16(1)(a). |
| 2) | The competent authority shall determine the membership of a management advisory committee. |
| 3) | Subject to the provisions of subsection (4), the members of a management advisory committee shall be appointed by the competent authority from persons who-- |
| a) | shall represent the following interests, namely-- |
| i) | the Department and any other department of State which in the opinion of the competent authority should be represented in the management advisory committee; |
| ii) | the provincial administration concerned; |
| iii) | every local authority whose area of jurisdiction falls wholly or partly within the protected natural environment; |
| iv) | the owners of, and the holders of real rights in, land situated within that protected natural environment; and |
| v) | the users of such land; and |
| b) | in the opinion of the competent authority are capable of assisting the management advisory committee in the performance of its functions. |
| 4) | If a competent authority assigns the control and management of a protected natural environment to a local authority or government institution in terms of section 16(6), the appointment of members of such management advisory committee shall be made with the concurrence of such local authority or government institution. |
| 5) | The competent authority shall designate one member of a management advisory committee as chairman and another member as vice-chairman. |
| 6) | A member of a management advisory committee shall hold office for such period as the competent authority may determine at the time of the appointment of such member, but may be reappointed at the expiry of his term of office: Provided that the competent authority may, if in his opinion there are sufficient reasons for doing so, at any time remove a member from office. |
| 7) | The Director-General of the relevant provincial administration shall, subject to the provisions of the Public Service Act, 1994 (Proclamation No. 103 of 1994), designate as many officers and employees of the provincial administration as may be necessary to assist a management advisory committee in the administrative work connected with the performance of the functions of the committee: Provided that where the control and management of a protected natural environment has been assigned to another local authority or government institution in terms of section 16(6) the chief executive officer of such local authority or government institution shall designate as many employees of the relevant local authority or government institution as may be necessary to assist a management advisory committee with the said administrative work: Provided further that with the approval of the competent authority such administrative work may be performed by any person other than such officer or employee at the remuneration and allowances which the competent authority with the concurrence of the Minister of State Expenditure may determine. |
| 8) | A member of a management advisory committee who is not in the full-time employment of the State or a local authority may be paid from money appropriated by the provincial legislature concerned for that purpose, such remuneration and allowances as the competent authority may, with the concurrence of the Minister of State Expenditure, determine in general or in any particular case. |