NEWS
Red tape is choking biodiversity research in South Africa . What can be done about it ?
1
Graham Alexander , 2 Bryan Maritz and
3
Krystal Tolley
Current Address : 1 University of the Witwatersrand , 2 University of the Western Cape ,
3
It is no exaggeration to say that science has saved humanity on multiple occasions . The most recent has been through the development of vaccines for the current COVID-19 pandemic .
Not all scientists work directly on applied research such as vaccine development . But successful scientists produce the foundational data , information and knowledge that contribute to an upward chain of information . This improves our ability to comprehend and solve humanity ’ s issues .
Given the indisputable value of science , it would seem foolish to obstruct its advancement . Yet impediments to advancements in some fields , such as biodiversity research , have been built over several years .
This is true in South Africa , where the
burden of red tape has increased over the last decade , obstructing even some of the most basic forms of data collection . In a recent
commentary , authored by more than 30 of South Africa ’ s field and biodiversity researchers , we set out the scale of the problem .
The problem isn ’ t particular only to South Africa . A groundswell of scientists views this state of affairs as a crisis . Scientists have been calling attention to the issue in
Brazil as well as
India , among other countries .
As field researchers , we acknowledge the need for regulations relating to the use of South Africa ’ s natural resources for research and other purposes . Legislation is necessary for a host of legitimate reasons . These include preventing unethical practices , ensuring animal welfare , halting the unsustainable harvest of natural resources , checking the spread of notifiable diseases , and curbing the illicit wildlife trade .
But the implementation of the legislation in terms of legitimate research has become problematic because it is applied with a broad brushstroke approach . In essence , hunters , wildlife poachers and bona fide researchers are viewed through the same legislative lens . This inclusive approach supposedly reduces risks to natural resources . But it ’ s also stopping , or holding back , genuine research intended to benefit conservation .
In our paper we call for measures to reduce the burden of red tape , and promote and facilitate biodiversity research in South Africa .
The tangle of red tape
For biological research , red tape comes mainly in the form of dramatically increased requirements for permits and clearances , causing biodiversity research to be heavily regulated . The result is that the critical need to collect data that relates to the future environmental sustainability and effective conservation of our environment is now overshadowed by a minefield of regulation .
South Africa has a number of pieces of legislation and accompanying regulations that directly affect field-based biological research projects . For example , researchers are required to get permits before they begin their work . But these can take months or even years to be issued .
Additionally , there are numerous overlays and duplications . Take the example of permits . Research programmes may require permits from national as well as provincial authorities . Given that a research programme may require permits for several activities , the application process can lead to long delays in projects getting off the ground .
In addition , broadscale projects conducted over more than one province require permits from each of the relevant provinces , each with its own permitting system and set of rules .
It ’ s therefore
not uncommon for some field-based research projects to require more than 20 different permits , clearances and approvals to be issued before work can commence .
In the case of the Animal Diseases Act , longstanding legislation has recently been reinterpreted so that it is now applied to all forms of field research on animals , even if the research work has no potential for spreading disease . And the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act now regulates who is allowed to perform “ procedures ” on animals . This means that researchers must jump through additional administrative hoops annually to conduct their research .
Grassroots Vol 21 No 4 December 2021 28