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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporter
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has called for stiffer penalties against violators of environmental laws saying suspended sentences given to them were not deterrent enough.EMA’s national spokesperson Steady Kangata said environmental crimes were a cause for concern as they have led to loss of life and property.
Communities have since been urged to report all fire incidents to curb destruction of the environment.
“Last year, four people were killed through veld fires while in 2012, 16 lives were lost. We are lobbying for custodial sentences on those who start veld fires because when lives are lost they should be charged with culpable homicide instead of the usual suspended sentence,” he said.
“We might have recorded a decrease in deaths through fire incidents but lives should not be lost through fires. A life lost through fire is one too many.”
The EMA spokesperson said last year they recorded a 10, 8 percent decline in veld fire incidents.
He said 1, 1 million hectares of land was lost in 2013 compared to 1, 3 million hectares lost the previous year.
A national veld fire awareness campaign to educate the public with the help of traditional leaders has since been launched ahead of July, the start of a season when the fires would be widespread.
Kangata urged the public to create fire guards and to desist from starting uncontrolled fires.
“The public have to ensure that by June, fire guards are in place and they should be nine metres wide. In a rural set up they should dig pits for their ashes as ash has been another major cause of veld fires,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter