The project aims to strengthen governance and build capacity within conservation structures in South Africa in order to achieve greater compliance of wildlife trade related laws and policy.


Summary of Project:

Background
This project is implemented and co-ordinated by TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa – South Africa (TESA-SA), in association with the Environmental Evaluation Unit, UCT. The Environmental Evaluation Unit provides advice and support to the project and has been appointed to develop and implement a Monitoring and Evaluation Programme.

The project concept was developed over two years, with a diversity of stakeholders, due to the recognition that South Africa has inadequate law enforcement and compliance with wildlife trade related laws and policy. The project embraces a multi-faceted approach to capacity building which includes: (1) public awareness of the wildlife trade, (2) direct support to national and provincial conservation authorities through a Law Compliance Assistance Officer, and (3) an intensive skills development training programme, targeted at law enforcement and compliance personnel, in three provinces (Limpopo, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal).

In addition to the Law Compliance Assistance Officer, who will provide direct support to the authorities, trainers will be located within, or in close proximity to, the Provincial Nature Conservation Authorities to fine tune the training curriculum and materials. The trainers, as a team, will work closely with provincial officials to build governance (institutional) capacity internally within the Authority, and externally with respect to law enforcement personnel of other governmental and non-governmental staff (police, customs and excise, NGO's, and other partners). The objective will be to assist the key provincial authorities to integrate capacity building into their strategic and management plans, which will include outreach to external law enforcement and compliance agencies, as well as community stakeholders. The trainers will assist the provincial officials to improve their own skills, and to strengthen linkages with their conservation partners.


Objectives

Key objectives of the project include: