Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs: Buyelwa Sonjica

Minister Buyelwa Sonjica was appointed as Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs on 11 May 2009.

As Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs she has executive authority over the 15 water boards, the Water Research Commission (WRC), the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA), the irrigation boards (IBs), Water User Associations (WUAs) and Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs).

Sonjica, 59, is back in the position she held from 2004 to 2006 - although some thought her tenure there underwhelming. She served as minister for minerals and energy from 2006 till 2009. Reports have joked that she moves from causing global warming to curing it. Given her former position and priorities, Koos Pretorius, of the Federation for a Sustainable Environment, is worried that Sonjica may decide in favour of mining over the environment, the Sunday Tribune reported.

Those who crossed her path during her previous tenure concede that while it was too short to leave any kind of lasting legacy, she was not remembered as an individual with conservation on her mind.

But industry insiders have lauded Zuma's decision to uncouple environmental affairs from tourism and add it to the water affairs portfolio. DA environment spokesperson Gareth Morgan said Sonjica would have a difficult portfolio to manage and matters requiring her urgent attention included SA's negotiating platform at the upcoming climate negotiations in Copenhagen, which former minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk had excelled in. Wessa (Wildlife and Environment Society of SA) said it was "very pleased" that water had been prioritised.

Sonjica has a long history in the party from her days of student politics in East London, and has steadily risen through the ranks. She is known in Eastern Cape education and political circles, having taught at schools in the province between 1979 and 1994. She obtained a BA degree, majoring in English and Xhosa, from Vista and a further BA (Honours) in Xhosa from Rhodes.

Her contact details are here.

The KZN MEC for Agriculture & Environmental Affairs KZN is Lydia Johnson and her contact details are here and here and here.

Source: News 24.com