People destroy precious grazing land
More than 2500 hectares of Mthethomusha Game Reserve was destroyed by fire caused by angry community members.
LUPHISI – Angry community members burnt more than 2 500 hectares of grazing at Mthethomusha Game Reserve last week, near Mpakeni Gate, on June 15.
They accused the current board of trustees of being corrupt and of not hiring them in the reserve and vented their anger again by starting another fire which destroyed three hectares at Luphisi Gate on Tuesday last week.
Information received from members of the community who preferred not to be named for fear of being victimised, alleged that certain individuals complained of not being employed at the reserve. They were unhappy with the current board of trustees which was selected into office in 2009, but allegedly did nothing to benefit them.
“Ever since they came into office, they have not reported to us at all. They hire people of their own liking, hence the community released them from their duties,” said Mr Kenneth Bhembe, a resident.
He added that a meeting to take resolutions had been scheduled for June 29. No one was arrested for arson and no case had been reported to date.
Some of the Mbombela firefighters of Working on Fire (WoF), say their lives are always in extreme danger when fighting fires in reserves. “We have to be extra careful as it is bushy and it’s always difficult to find water, ” said Mr Bongani Nhlabatsi, operational manager of WoF in Mpumalanga. They also had to be on standby which was an inconvenience.
He urged members of the community not to start fires, especially during winter months as it also impacted negatively on nature. “The tree canopy serves as home for a lot of creatures and when there is fire, it means their homes are destroyed, putting their survival at risk,” he said.
The game reserve is home to lion, leopard, elephant, white rhino and buffalo as well as antelope, giraffe and zebra along with a host of smaller mammals. More than 300 bird species have been recorded, along with the larger eagles and raptors.
Widespread fires always pose a danger to these animals, as some are killed while others fall prey to lion while trying to escape.
The Mthethomusha Game Reserve is situated on the south-western border of the Kruger National Park. It is one of Mpumalanga’s prime conservation areas and is set to become a major game-viewing destination. The land is managed by the Mpakeni community which shares in the proceeds from tourism.
