Mpunza Hill forest hacked away
Shocking satellite photos show destruction of indigenous forestry in Richards Bay.
BEFORE-and-after satellite photos circulating on email has laid bare the devastation of the previously protected Mpunza Hill forest in Richards Bay.
Google Earth images taken in 2010 and this year clearly illustrates the rapid growth of an informal settlement between popular suburbs Birdswood and Arboretum.
A large portion of the indigenous forestry was cut down earlier this year when the Shembe Nazareth Church requested permission from the Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development to clear the 1.6ha plot for an annual month-long celebration.
However, in April MEC Mechack Radebe refused the appeal, explaining ‘the destruction of the forest can have serious environmental implications and can be detrimental to the area’s indigenous forest’.
Less than a month later, Radebe’s instruction was disregarded with a large extension of the property cleared to accommodate temporary housing structures for thousands of worshippers attending the services.
A more permanent township also appears to have sprung up with the village now boasting permanent brick buildings and painted wooden homes.
The Zululand Observer still awaits comment from the City of uMhlathuze Municipality.
I’m impressed that Shembe’s place is still safe as from 1976 where apartheid Government forcefully removed black people from their land and Hopefully he would occupied his land permanent as much as he like no matter what situation because is his land
Why does a holy place have to guarded? They said in an earlier article they were security for the church. If it’s a holy place it doesn’t need to be guarded as the powers above will guard it. This is just yet another example of total disregard for the law and trying to use religion to justify what they are doing. Authorities and municipality need to start doing there jobs and enforcing the law inside of turning a blind eye. It’s yet another Mandlazini just down the round and before you know it, it’s too late
Let the owner get the rigth of his land or is he not good enough for it.
Residents in Birdswood and Arboretum are required to pay taxes against the valuation of their property. Nobody will want to buy any houses next to a informal settlement therefore the municipality should drop the value of the houses in the surrounding areas and thereby reduce their income if they are not willing to address this problem. The smoke across the neighborhoods in the mornings and evenings is stifling. So they don’t have electricity and I am sure there is no sewage lines either. This threatens the lake which is our source of drinking water? If they want to develop a church complex there then they should invest in the appropriate infrastructure just as we have had to do in the suburbs with proper buildings and appropriate sanitation so as not to have a negative impact on neighboring areas.