Calls for watchdog to stay on beach guard

THE Democratic Alliance (DA) is making waves with a new petition, calling for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to continue patrolling the 569km KZN coastline.

Since the petition was launched last Tuesday on civil action website change.org, more than 1200 people signed up to urge the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, to retract the department’s decision in March to cancel a long-standing contract with the environmental watchdog to monitor the shores from August.

No reasons were provided for dumping the custodian.

The party said marine scientists fear poaching and over-fishing will rise sharply after the removal of the conservation authority.

‘Ezemvelo and its predecessors have been looking after the KZN coast for decades and to remove this competency will be a disaster,’ said DA national spokesperson Thomas Hadebe.

‘We demand that Ezemvelo continue to protect the coastline or that government properly outline an alternative to take over the services.

‘To summarily terminate this contract without installing a replacement agency is foolishly to place at risk the entire KZN fishing industry and shoreline and to deny the people of KZN and visitors to the province access to marine-related environmental awareness and education programmes.

DA youth leader for the uThungulu district, Henning de Wet, said he is pleased with the support received thus far, but hopes to secure thousands more signatures.

‘The decision will lead to over fishing and will plunder our wonderful natural resources and wildlife.

‘There will be no marine life left.

‘It would damage the ecosystem, and ultimately our economy, biodiversity and increase pollution.

‘Right now what makes our world so precious are these very creatures now in danger.’

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