Promoting the Integrated Governance of South Africa’s Coastal Zone

The document examines Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) as a multi-sectoral governance approach to balance the development, use, and protection of coastal zones. It traces the global shift from sectoral 'command-and-control' methods to ecosystem-based management and analyzes South Africa's transition from a conservation-focused model to one prioritizing sustainable livelihoods and poverty eradication. The author highlights the 2008 Integrated Coastal Management Act as a key legal framework but notes significant failures in local-level implementation, particularly in the Eastern Cape, where unregulated sand mining and illegal development persist due to a lack of municipal capacity and political will.

• Coastal zones are globally critical, supporting 50% of the world's fisheries and providing vital nutrition for nearly 3 billion people, while contributing an estimated $25,000 billion annually through natural services.
• Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) is an adaptive, multi-sectoral approach designed to replace fragmented sectoral management of fisheries, mining, and land use to better balance development and ecological protection.
• South Africa's coastal management has evolved through four paradigms: ad hoc sector-based management (1970s), top-down ecological regulations (1980s), participatory policy formulation (1990s), and a current people-centred, pro-poor ICM approach since 2000.
• The National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act No. 24 of 2008 (ICM Act) provides the first statutory framework for coastal land and waters, mandating coastal management programmes (CMPs) at national, provincial, and municipal levels.
• The ICM Act establishes coastal protection zones, typically 100m from the high-water mark in urban areas and 1km in rural areas, and mandates the use of coastal setback lines to restrict development in vulnerable or ecologically sensitive areas.
• Despite a strong national framework, South African municipalities often lack the budget and management competencies to implement ICM, resulting in 'unfunded mandates' and a disconnect between different spheres of government.
• In the Eastern Cape, coastal environments face severe pressure from unregulated small-scale sand mining, illegal holiday cottage construction, and soil erosion in catchments, which has led to the closure of some estuaries.
• The Eastern Cape possesses the highest number of estuaries in South Africa (159 systems), with 57 core estuaries identified for national conservation targets, 30 of which require full protection.
• Operation Phakisa is a national strategy aimed at unlocking the 'blue economy' through aquaculture, marine protection, offshore oil and gas exploration, and marine transport and manufacturing.

APA

Chevallier, R. (2015). Promoting the Integrated Governance of South Africa’s Coastal Zone. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Occasional-Paper-218.pdf

Chicago

Chevallier, Romy. Promoting the Integrated Governance of South Africa’s Coastal Zone. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Occasional-Paper-218.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chevallier |first1=Romy |title=Promoting the Integrated Governance of South Africa’s Coastal Zone |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Occasional-Paper-218.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chevallier2015promoting, author = {Chevallier, Romy}, title = {{Promoting the Integrated Governance of South Africa’s Coastal Zone}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Occasional-Paper-218.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }