In this study, an exploratory approach into understanding Maritime Spatial Planning and its
applicability in South Africa is conducted. Detailed layout on current legal regimes governing
marine environment and maritime activities is drawn. Maritime Spatial Planning is viewed as a
tool to arbitrate current imbalances between economic, environmental and social agendas whilst
arresting future ocean space user and use conflicts.
Notwithstanding the fact that in South Africa, Maritime Spatial Planning development plans
were initiated for the purpose of conserving biodiversity and ecosystem; this study is however
advocating for economic growth to become the cornerstone of such an innovation. The National
Development Plan visions for 2030 evokes South Africa to develop strategic frameworks for
sustainable environmental and inclusive economic growth; and Maritime Spatial Planning
development is seen as a tool to coordinate and harmonize cooperation amongst different
maritime investors. Arguments are made in this study that Maritime Spatial Planning
development has the potential to turn South Africa into a maritime economic country. Although
there are challenges such as lack of scientific and technical skills pool, case studies conducted for
Germany, China and the United States indicate that the cost of not implementing Maritime
Spatial Planning will in the future deprive South Africa’s realization of the true economic capital
that can be generated from maritime resources.
With the current environmental legal regime, this study argues that South Africa can afford to
radically and progressively reform its policies towards economic growth related regimes whilst
maintaining the balance between environment and social integrity.