THE lives of iSimangaliso Wetland Park officers Herbert Mthembu and Thembi Buthelezi were celebrated and their untimely passing mourned at a memorial service in St Lucia today.
The pair tragically lost their lives in a head-on collision near Mtubatuba last week.
A 40-year career in conservation led Mthembu to the post of Park Operations Director at iSimangaliso. Buthelezi held the position of Environmental Management Officer.
They were returning from Sodwana Bay after planning for new field ranger rhino anti-poaching camps.
The accident, which is still under police investigation, occurred about six kilometres north of Mtubatuba on the N2.
A case of culpable homicide has been opened.
Mthembu began his career in conservation in 1976 as a General Assistant with the then Natal Parks Board. Moving quickly through the ranks, he was promoted to Field Ranger before heading up anti-poaching operations.
Mthembu completed his career with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife as Conservation Manager at uMkhuze Game Reserve before moving on to iSimangaliso in 2004.
According to colleagues, Mthembu loved the bush but took to books easily and thrived at his desk-based job at iSimangaliso.
‘Integrity was key to him,’ said an emotional Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of iSimangaliso.
PHOTO: Supplied
‘Herbert never gave up. When faced with a big problem he would say, ‘we must face it’.
Mthembu’s achievements at iSimangaliso include brokering a landmark agreement to fence the wilderness area, and overseeing the re-introduction of big game, including lions, into iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Mthembu’s middle daughter, Ayanda, was joined by Grade 12 classmates from Kingdom Christian College where she is currently writing matric finals.
Buthelezi held a BSc degree in plant pathology and quickly took to conservation work following her appointment as an intern at iSimangaliso in 2004.
In 2005 she was appointed Research Administrator and in 2006, Assistant Contracts Manager in the Land Care Unit.
Buthelezi was one of the first employees to qualify as an Environmental Management Inspector (EMI) and was promoted to Environmental Management Officer in 2010.
Her job was to work in the park’s buffer zone, ensuring environmental legislation was followed and that development didn’t negatively affect the World Heritage Site.
Bronwyn James, Senior Manager: Planning and Research said, ‘It is impossible to think of Thembi without recalling her smile, her warm presence and energy.’
Buthelezi leaves her husband, Sipho, and their two young children, Ntando and Kwezi.
