About the EMI

The Environmental Management Inspectorate is a network of environmental enforcement officials from different government departments at national, provincial and municipal level. Although not an official title, the Environmental Management Inspectorate is popularly known as the “Green Scorpions”.  The Green Scorpions are responsible for monitoring compliance with, and enforcing, national environmental laws.

This national network of EMIs will break through the traditional separation between the protection of different aspects of the environment, and will include park rangers and conservation officers, air quality officers, marine and coastal enforcement officers, pollution and waste enforcement officials and officials monitoring urban developments.

EMIs can be identified by the EMI logo – which has been designed to represent a shield of protection and enforcement – and the three key areas of enforcement, marine and coastal enforcement (the “blue” issues), biodiversity and conservation enforcement (the “green” issues), and urban development, pollution and waste enforcement (the “brown” issues).  EMIs are also issued with standard EMI identity cards.