Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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ISIMANGALISO WETLANDS PARK, KZN

Opposition to mining may have led to ANC councillor’s murder

By Sandile Motha for Mukurukuru Media• 26 May 2020

Image
The Isimangaliso Wetland Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal. (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

KwaZulu-Natal induna killed in a hail of bullets was a tourism operator who was also involved in efforts against the mining of sand dunes near a world heritage site.

ANC councillor Philip Mkhwanazi, who was ambushed and shot dead in a hail of bullets on Monday 25 May, is believed to be a victim of an ongoing feud pitting those in support of granting mining rights in the St Lucia area against those favouring tourism.

Mkhwanazi was one of the few majority black-owned licenced tour operators servicing the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

According to community activist Mzokhona Dube, the misrepresentation to a wider community on the economic spinoffs generated by the world heritage site had resulted in resentments and pitted villagers against one another.

Mkhwanazi is alleged to have been killed by unknown assailants who requested that he furnish them with letters of proof of residence, claiming that they wanted to use the documents to open bank accounts.

“The community here is divided — some are pushing for mining of vegetated sand dunes as opposed to tourism. Some people believe that the park is not substantially benefiting the community despite it being an economic drawcard boasting international tourists,” explains Dube.

Mkhwanazi’s ambush and shooting was described by bystander Zokwakha Mdanda.

“He was motionless with his face lying flat on the ground, his clothes were soaked in blood. There is no way that he would have survived as his body had been turned over and sprayed with a hail of bullets,” said Mdanda.

“I left my brother sitting under a tree. It took about five minutes roughly after I had left to buy a newspaper. I then heard what sounded like loud gunshots. I was terrified and ran for my life,” Mdanda told Mukurukuru Media.

He said after a little while the sound of the gunfire subsided. This prompted him to emerge from his hiding place and rush to the scene to find out what had happened.

“When I approached, one of the guys who was helping him with his vehicle was standing there shocked. I came closer and called his name and tried to lift him up, but I saw that he was no longer breathing,” said Mdanda in describing the horrifying scene.

| Mkhwanazi is alleged to have been killed by unknown assailants who requested that he furnish them with letters of proof of residence, claiming
| that they wanted to use the documents to open bank accounts.


He was apparently waiting for a mechanic to complete repairs on his vehicle when he met his death. Mkhwanazi was killed near his homestead of Khula village, situated on the doorstep of St Lucia.

Dube said Mkhwanazi had influence in the community because of his position as an induna.

“He was also one of the people who opposed the alternative mining of vegetation dunes along the boundary of the [Isimangaliso Wetland] park. This made him an enemy of some because they viewed him as (being) against the community because he was making business with the park and benefiting while the rest of the people had to suffer,” said Dube.

The main mining protagonist is a radical economic transformation group under the Eyamakhosi Resources banner. The company is comprised of former employees of Richards Bay Minerals, a subsidiary of mining giant Rio Tinto.

The group says the status quo does not provide real economic relief to locals and strongly advocates for mining, arguing it will boost job creation in surrounding villages.

This approach is rejected by environmentalists on the grounds that it would spell disaster for biodiversity and tourism. The Isimangaliso Wetland Park consists of natural ecosystems of breathtaking beauty bordered by sandy beaches. This year, the park marks 21 years since it was proclaimed as South Africa’s first world heritage site.

In eMpembeni village, more than 30 people have died. Those who were seen as opposing mining were targeted and eliminated to instil an atmosphere of fear. The villagers are against the proposed forced removals to make way for the extraction of raw materials and minerals from their ancestral land.

In its website, the park prides itself on having created opportunities for locals by enabling emerging businesses to benefit from ecotourism opportunities offered by the park. This includes managing BnBs for tourists and also opening opportunities for locals to be tour operators.

Besides working as a councillor, Mkhwanazi was an induna (headman) popular among villagers.

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbhele confirmed the killing, saying the motive for the murder was still unknown.

“Police are investigating a case of murder after a man was killed in Khula reserve near St Lucia. He was not far from his home while waiting for repairs to be done to his vehicle. The assailants pretended they were in need of documentation confirming proof of residence when they suddenly shot and killed the deceased. No arrests have been made. Police have launched a manhunt,” said Mbhele.

The KZN North Coast has experienced a mining boom which has triggered deadly conflicts between those supporting the mining and those against it.

| In eMpembeni village, more than 30 people have died. Those who were seen as opposing mining were targeted and eliminated to instil an
| atmosphere of fear. The villagers are against the proposed forced removals to make way for the extraction of raw materials and minerals from
| their ancestral land.


The Human Rights Watch said in its 2019 report titled “We Know Our Lives are in Danger”, that some activists in mining-affected communities have undergone threats, physical attacks, and/or damage to their property that they believe is a consequence of their activism, while others have received threatening phone calls.

The report cited the high-profile murder of Xolobeni anti-mining activist Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe in 2016 as one of the cases that remain unresolved. It said mining areas including Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces have had experiences similar to that of Xolobeni where at least nine people opposed to efforts to mine titanium in the area have been killed under mysterious circumstances.

Mary de Haas, violence monitor and researcher who has conducted extensive research on the effect of mining in northern KZN, said there was often no political will to deal with the suffering of the communities as a result of mining.

She said to date, the masterminds behind various massacres of people in Mpembeni have not been prosecuted.

“The justice system has failed these communities whose loved ones were snuffed out through the barrel of a gun. The survivors are living in fear, not knowing when the assassins might come back to finish them off,” said De Haas.


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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The Dark Province... O/ 0*\

There are so many feuds, rivalries, faction fights and political/corruption competitions going on it doesn't take much for scores to be settled. O**


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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Not much respect for human life and also not for the consequences, obviously O**


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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They did Titanium mining plus rehabilitation of dunes at st Lucia about 30 years ago. I wonder how that went and how the indigenous bush they planted on the dunes is going? ..0..


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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I have read about that, but I don't know how the situation is in that respect. I do know that they very often have problems with the opening and closing of the river mouth (sand) and also with water distribution to the communities.


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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BAZARUTO, MOZAMBIQUE

Greens victorious as Sasol ditches Africa sea paradise gas-drilling plan

By Tony Carnie• 6 July 2020

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Mozambique's Bazaruto (Marine) National Park forms a protected marine reserve and tourism paradise with the largest remaining population of dugongs along the East African coastline. (Photo: Mandy Etpison)

It remains unclear, however, why Sasol had pursued the exploration venture next to Bazaruto in the first place, when the environmental sensitivity and tourism/fishing value of the area was widely known and appreciated.

Sasol has abandoned a controversial gas-drilling venture on the doorstep of the Bazaruto tropical island paradise in Mozambique after a massive public backlash and adverse environmental impact studies.

The South African oil and gas giant drilled two deep-water wells in the area after getting a government exploration and production concession 15 years ago. But the wells turned out to have poor gas deposits and the company then turned its ambitions to the shallower coastal waters directly next to the Bazaruto (Marine) National Park.

This archipelago of five islands forms a protected marine reserve and tourism paradise with the largest remaining population of dugongs along the East African coastline. Dugongs are an endangered species of sea-cow often associated with the legend of mermaids.

Home to more than 100 species of coral, 250 fish species and extensive beds of shallow water seagrasses, Bazaruto is also a major tourist attraction and artisanal fishing nursery.

This is where – until very recently – Sasol hoped to drill and conduct sound-blasting experiments as part of a gas and oil exploration project which required government approval and a mandatory environmental impact assessment conducted by the Canadian-based Golder and Associates consultancy group.

Earlier this month Golder indicated that the project had been put on hold to allow Sasol Mozambique “to evaluate the valuable inputs received from the public” – which included major pushback from more than 15,000 people who objected to the venture via an online petition organised by the Marine Megafauna Foundation and an open letter to Sasol by residents of the adjoining Vilanculos and Inhambane areas.

Image
The Bazaruto Seascape is also home to the last viable population of dugongs on the African continent. (Photo: Alima Gomes)

On Sunday, July 5 in response to queries from Daily Maverick, Sasol spokesman Alex Anderson confirmed that the company had decided to relinquish the petroleum exploration concessions “in their entirety”.

The concessions known as “Sasol Block 16/19” date back to 2005. Anderson said the decision was taken following an evaluation of the exploration potential of the two blocks and pre-feasibility assessment.

“Understanding and appreciating the environmental sensitivity of the area, Sasol undertook a robust and transparent pre-feasibility assessment through Golder & Associates, an independent, reputable environmental specialist consulting firm, before any exploration activity. This process involved consultation with all relevant stakeholders, from government, on all levels, industry, such as tourism and fisheries, to academia.

“Sasol acknowledges all the comments received during the pre-feasibility phase of the EIA process and values the input that all stakeholders contributed. Sasol will relinquish Blocks 16 & 19 in their entirety to the Government of Mozambique. A withdrawal notification has been issued to the relevant Mozambican authorities.”

According to the company statement, sustainability was integral to how Sasol conducted business, which was underpinned by its commitment to compliance with all environmental legislation and undertaking any exploration activity in an environmentally responsible manner.

Despite these assurances, however, it remains unclear why Sasol had pursued the exploration venture next to Bazaruto in the first place, when the environmental sensitivity and tourism/fishing value of the area was widely known and appreciated.

In an open letter to Sasol, numerous residents of Vilanculos and Inhambane urged the company to look for petroleum elsewhere and “to leave this incredibly diverse and stunningly beautiful area intact for future generations to enjoy”.

Image
Dugongs are an endangered species of sea-cow often associated with the legend of mermaids. (Photo: EPA / Tracey Nearmy)

A separate online petition against the exploration, launched by Andrea Marshall of the international Marine Megafauna Foundation, attracted more than 14,000 signatories

The foundation said data showed that this section of coastline remains a global hotspot for iconic and endangered marine species such as humpback whales, whale sharks, manta rays, bull sharks, sea turtles, hammerheads, marlin, guitarfish, and dolphin.

“The Bazaruto Seascape is also home to the last viable population of dugongs on the African continent.”

Last week, the Marine Megafauna Foundation said the Vilanculos and Inhassoro communities were overwhelmingly opposed to the project due to the high likelihood of negatively affecting marine tourism and fishing.

“Of particular concern was the proximity of the project to the last remaining viable population of dugong in Africa, which stands at only a few hundred strong. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) just declared this area an important marine mammal area (IMMA).

“In addition to the dugong, several species of dolphins live in the region, including the endangered humpback dolphin. Seasonally, larger cetaceans, like the humpback whale, use this coastline to give birth and find mates. This project would have placed incalculable stress on these highly sensitive species.

“Concerns were also voiced about Sasol’s ability to adequately deal with the waste pollution generated from this type of project, as well as the short- and long-term impacts the various stages of the project could have on the local marine ecosystem and the potential eyesore it would cause.”

Those hoping for the area to be declared a Unesco World Heritage site in the future pointed out that extractive, environmentally damaging projects like this might disqualify this region from such a listing and could undermine local conservation efforts.

“Local communities in this region are critically dependent on coastal resources for subsistence and for their livelihoods and were understandably enraged to learn of Sasol’s plans,” the foundation said. DM


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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\O Good to hear


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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Coal mining in Hwange National Park

Posted on September 3, 2020, by Team Africa Geographic in the NEWS DESK post series.

Conservationists are incensed over a decision by the Zimbabwean government to allocate two coal mining concessions in the middle of Hwange National Park and the surrounding Deka Safari Area.

Bhejane Trust, a non-profit conservation organization that works with Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, broke the news on Facebook with the following statement:

“Our Rhino Monitoring team recently found some Chinese (people) in Hwange Park – we managed to ascertain they were drilling core samples for coal. Parks arrested them and turned them over to the Police. However, they soon reappeared with a permit giving them the right to carry on in the Park with exploratory drilling. They did this without any consultation with the Area Manager and seem to feel they have a right to go wherever they like to.

Image
Hwange National Park, on Zimbabwe’s western border with Botswana


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The two mining concessions inside Hwange

We followed up on this and discovered the Government has allocated two coal mining concessions in the middle of Sinamatella and Robins! The mining concessions are Special Grants which apparently can only be issued by the President, and both been granted to Chinese companies.”

The two concessions are in the northern section of the national park, and it appears that they have been granted to Afrochine Energy (concession SG7263 – incorporating Deteema Dam and Masuma Dam) and Zhongxin Coal Mining Group (concession SG5756). The Bhejane Trust was subsequently sent an undated Stakeholders Questionnaire by SustiGlobal, a company contracted to conduct the standard Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for both companies. These questionnaires should have been sent before exploratory drilling.

Image
Elephants at a borehole-fed waterhole in Hwange

Zimbabwe is entirely reliant on coal for energy, and a substantial portion of the country’s coal reserves are found in the Hwange district, with the Hwange Colliery Company operating as the oldest coal mine. In recent months, the Zimbabwean government has been pushing for increased coal and energy production in the country. It has issued several special grants to prospective coal miners as well as increasing the capacity of power stations and smelters. While there have been concerns around pollution and health risks to neighbouring communities, most of the new developments have taken place outside the protected areas.

Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest national park at 15,000km2 and is home to the second-largest elephant population in Africa.


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Re: Mining in or Close to Protected Areas

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Another African Disaster


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