THE South African government should never be associated with desecrating one of South Africa’s most prized natural areas and being complicit in what will amount to the forced removal of thousands of rural people from their homesteads.
As one of KZN’s best known former senior conservators and administrators, Gladman Buthelezi spoke with indignation when confronted with the proposed Fuleni coal mine to be located on the boundary of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve.
‘What is this nonsense? Do the Zulus among us not understand what iMfolozi stands for? This was King Shaka’s and the Zulu nation’s royal hunting ground. It has always been protected and must remain protected for future generations,’ he said.
Buthelezi had spent 28 years of his life in conservation and said he wasn’t prepared to see this ‘sacrosanct’ area be destroyed by some ‘filthy, destructive coal mine’.
Well respected
Buthelezi has known and worked for pretty much everyone worth knowing in KZN conservation, from the former KwaZulu Government’s Directorate of Nature Conservation (formerly the Bureau of Natural Resources) under the highly respected and influential Nick Steele, to the Natal Parks Board and, until very recently, served as Executive Director of Commercial Operations for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
He was also well acquainted with the late Dr Ian Player and legendary field ranger Magqubu Ntombela.
Buthelezi ran a number of wilderness trails, both in iMfolozi and the Maloti Drakensberg World Heritage Site, and attended two wilderness congresses with Dr Player.
‘What do our leaders think they are doing, encouraging Ibutho coal in this sacred area? They have paid no attention to this region’s rich traditional heritage.’
Specialists have already documented the irreparable damage that Fuleni mine would do to both the iMfolozi Wilderness and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park itself.
‘I don’t want to discuss seismic vibrations, coal dust, alien plant infestation, water pollution and the impact of much of this on the community’s health. These are incontestable facts. Collectively they will demolish the ‘sense of place’ of the entire Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, let alone the wilderness area.’
Buthelezi said his passion had been encouraged by the ‘brave and informed’ opinions of two senior Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife conservators, Oscar Mthimkhulu and Jabulani Ngubane, who both went public in their condemnation of the mine’s location.
Salute
He saluted the efforts of the iMfolozi Conservation Wilderness Alliance (ICWA) community agitator Sifiso Dladla who, he said, has worked tirelessly in exposing both the government’s and mining company’s disdain for the rights of the community living in and around Fuleni.
‘They are what I call real leaders. This is what our people and country need, our own people to be heard when something is wrong.’
Buthelezi expressed further dismay that the Ingonyama Trust Board had ‘rolled over’ and, despite telling Ibutho Coal to stop prospecting in the area, the injunction was not enforced.
‘They own this land on behalf of our traditional leaders and rural communities. What is the point of stating that mining prospecting or scoping is illegal and then doing nothing?’
Commenting on the mine’s recent statement that they would be reviewing their plans, Gladman said this was not enough.
‘They must abandon this site. The government or the department of Environmental Affairs and Mineral Resources must simply scrap the idea and tell them to look elsewhere.’
Written by Richard Compton
