Coastal Zone To Get Better Protection

Adam Gunn is a director at Routledge Modise Eversheds, South Africa

Originally published in Business Law & Tax Review, a supplement to Business Day

IN South Africa the sea and the seashore were previously regulated by the Sea-Shore Act of 1935. In order to align the regulation of this sensitive environmental zone in line with the constitution and environmental specific legislation such as the National Environmental Management Act of 1998, the National Environmental Management Integrated Coastal Management Bill ("the Coastal Management Act") has been enacted.

In October last year parliamentary approval process was completed and the Coastal Management Act was presented to the president for assent. Presidential assent has not yet been obtained and it is likely that this may be delayed until after the elections. Nevertheless the parliamentary approval process was accompanied by some lively debate including the issue of property rights within the coastal zone which