Is Mr Public SA being shafted?

[Lisbeth]

I have the above question floating around in my mind and have come up with my definitive answer. The things that concern me are the following:
1) Hotels in Kruger
SanParks have decided that the hotels are a neccessity. On what grounds has this decission been made. Is it from a conservation angle, a commercial angle without really taking conservation in its true sence in account or a ways and means of lining some high powered pockets.
With the firing of the original EAA company and now hiring one where there seems to be a major conflict of interest to push it through, have the correct procedures been implemented. To what extent has this project been effected by the Chairman of SanParks also being a director/shareholder of the BEE operating company. Are we being shafted
2) Mining at Mapungubwe
Have the correct procedures been followed in awarding the mining licence by Dept of minerals etc. Is the same Chairman of SanParks involved in the BEE company involved. Is it also a way of lining the pockets of govt officials through payoffs in awarding the licences. Can we catigorically say that this mining operation will have no effect on the park, if the answer is "no" why is it going ahead. Are we being shafted
3) Mining in the Malalane area
Has any EAA studies been done on its effect on the Crockodile river and the southern part of Kruger with dust/polution fallout. It will apparently be an open cast iron ore mine as well as mining for gold & zinc. Who is involved in partnership with the Australian co as BEE partners. Why has this been kept so hush hush and out of the public eye. What is being hidden and has contracts/ licences already been awarded. Are we being shafted.
4) The proposed new gate
What neccessitates the new gate, is it going to be the site of another hotel and commercial venture. What EAA studies have been or will be carried out and by whom. To what extent will there be public participation. Who are the players in this venture. Why is it needed in a wilderness area of Kruger. What planned road infrastructure will result.
Will this be another project where underhanded procedures are used to silently push it through. Are we being shafted.

It seems that the oposition parties in parliament have been totally inefectual in raising their opposition. Hardly a word or question is being raised on these important issues, the media is particularly uniterested in the issues, have we all fallen into the trap that 'it will happen whether we like it or not'. Is it not time to take up the fight through the courts.
I don't like what I'm seeing here, this to me is an indication of how our country is being run. Underhanded, secretive negotiations to enrich the very few while the wants and needs of the people go completely ignored.

[Lisbeth]

There is a very simple logic to be applied here.

The reserves are heritage sites and they belong to the tax paying public. They belong to all of us. And those who don't pay tax don't visit which in my mind limits what they should be able to say about what happens in KNP. The masses see only what they are told and if they are told it will create jobs, then of course SANPARKS will have the support of local population.

The national parks belong mostly I think, to those who do make use of them. And we do not go there because we want 4 or 5 start accommodation. We go there to live a simple life away from the complex junk we have in the big cities. The potholed roads, the leaking sewers and the derelict buildings of the CBD.

I daresay, in my own opinion, that the mandate from high up in present government is to live up to the promises of finding work for the teeming uneducated masses. Having made such promise, the ruling party is probably under huge pressure to deliver. I think they looked around and decided that building hotels would provide some employment in the interim and then the staffing issues would provide other employment.

Thus the long-term plans of Kruger are about to be sacrificed for the short term need to deliver on election promises made.

What I would like to know is that if, after 17 years in power, the ruling party have not delivered on anything meaningful, when are the voting public going to realize they are being shafted?

This is just my political viewpoint and I agree that some good has come from democracy, although a quick look at crumbling infrastructures (roads, ESKOM and others) one can see that present government, actually don't have a clue.

This is causing me great concern, because paradise and conservation are at risk to this interference.

Surely Kruger is a massive draw-card for international people to come to SA and bring money into the country. If we need more money, then get more reserves. Cramming more people in can work, but getting more bums in beds should not put the draw-card at risk. Where are they going to get tourists in when this whole daft idea of hotels and the destruction of conservation fails? When there are no more animals left to attract tourists, what happens then?

So many questions without answers.



Only way we can beat the planned development, is to get masses of signatures on petitions. We need greater numbers of votes against the "proposals" than the perceived support of millions of locals who just have no idea of the long-term picture.

Maybe simplistic, but that's how I see, it. Nothing more, nothing less.

First of all what does being shafted mean? ( I can imagine it is something like duped)

What do you think that you can do, with a government that has presented the new law on "no information for national security reasons" (sorry I do not remember what the law is called)??? NOTHING!

As somebody said, until the masses do not see the cheat there isn't much to be done, especially if the oposition is unable to protest agains the rip-off.

There is a mass of incapable people who are drowning the country in burocracy and with the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing and all the dishonest ones in the meanwhile are profitting from the situation.

Rainbow country........Sounds great, but it is a big mess and getting worse with every day that passes.

Sorry to speak like this about your beautiful country, but it makes me so mad to see the incapacity killing it little by little

South Africa should have been made a Federal Republic from the beginning of democracy, that might have saved it, but could also have led to a split up.

In the beginning of this "no hotels" adventure I was feeling optimistic, that Sanparks would see the light, but by now I have lost all hope in that sense and I cannot see what could force them to stop the procedure. There always seems to be a shortcut whenever an obstacle appears. The Government have washed there hands and from behing the scene they are doing what they can to make Dr. Mabunda and company succeed in their intent.

First of all what does being shafted mean? ( I can imagine it is something like duped)

....

In the beginning of this "no hotels" adventure I was feeling optimistic, that Sanparks would see the light, but by now I have lost all hope in that sense and I cannot see what could force them to stop the procedure. There always seems to be a shortcut whenever an obstacle appears. The Government have washed there hands and from behing the scene they are doing what they can to make Dr. Mabunda and company succeed in their intent.

Lisbeth in the context of what is happening a closer meaning of shafted might be abused or raped.

It is easy to feel despondent about the future of our Parks and about what is happening in the government of our country. Even if we don’t win every battle we can still make a difference by influencing decisions that will be taken. It won’t be easy but I do believe this forum and pasionate individuals have a role to play in what is going to happen.

Please do not lose hope - you are doing great work, even if the hotels are built, all the effort spent in fighting them could have a dramatic impact on the future of our Parks.

Rainbow country........Sounds great, but it is a big mess and getting worse with every day that passes.

The vast majority of the people I interact with would largely agree with you .

As a group, we are doing what we can, and we are grateful for the International support.

In unity lies our strength. :D

Sent on to telemedia today (portion):

Other issues since emerging regarding Sanparks' mismanagement and moneymaking schemes include:

A 200% or more increase in rhino sales by Kruger over the last 2 years, despite contested census figures regarding the number of rhino in the Park.

The completion of a lavish 500-seater conference facility in Skukuza, a project signed off by the minister in 2008 PENDING a scoping/EIA report. The project ran well over budget, with the BEE contractor ducking and locals having to be brought in to complete the job at extra cost. Final cost is unclear...Around R5 mil.

The collapse of Nkuhlu and Tshokwane picnic spots in 2010, neccessitating the replacement of BEE operators after VERY embarassing situations for foreign tourists!

The Introduction of Nkambeni tented camp near Numbi Gate, on "Tribal Ground", with traversing rights to Kruger, adding to congestion.

The raising of Gate quotas for day visitors to coincide with the 2010 World Cup, but not returning to normal levels afterwards!

The alarming increase in complaints regarding accommodation and infrastructure maintenance in Kruger, especially by disgruntled foreign regulars, culminating in a critical accident where a tourist fell through a faulty log railing in front of Skukuza Restaurant over the August long weekend. The tourist is STILL in and out of hospital,


The Multi-million rand business of logging huge ancient living indigenous hardwood trees in the Garden Route National Park (Knysna-Tsitsikamma), as per very questionable tenders, in the name of community development.

The declared intention of building a new access gate to Kruger at Shangoni (Giyani area), mostly to provide easier access to Mozambiquan commuters, even though this is an ultra-pristine area.