Green justice: Jail time coming for South African bosses guilty of environmental crimes

Narend Singh (Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment) joins Bongani Bingwa.

Listen below.

Punishment for officials and corporate bosses found guilty of environmental crimes looks set to get a lot harsher.

Singh has outlined plans that could see CEOs and municipal managers jailed for environmental negligence.

The idea is that stricter penalties may help in the fight against pollution and ecological neglect.

Singh says it is important that we prioritise the fight against environmental crimes.

"In some cases, we impose hefty fines, but I believe we are still not doing enough...

- Narend Singh, Deputy Minister - Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

"We need to ensure that individuals that are responsible for neglect, whether they are CEOs of big companies... or whether they are CEOs of municipalities,  they need to also face prison time"

- Narend Singh, Deputy Minister - Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

So, will we see corporate heads and local government bosses behind bars?

Yes, according to Singh.

"We need to see some CEOs and municipal managers in orange overalls."

He says large fines for environmental crimes simply don't impact certain offenders.

"What you're talking about is small change. Just a few days ago, a magistrates court imposed a fine of R160 million on a municipality... are these fines doing enough?"

- Narend Singh, Deputy Minister - Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

"... Air pollution, our marine resources being poached, poaching of pangolin, parrots, certain protected plant species..."

- Narend Singh, Deputy Minister - Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

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