Controversial rezoning approved?

[Poplap]

Not only are our beloved rhinos, elephants, yellow wood forests, abalone and what else slowly but surely destroyed and mutilated by mankind -
Mankind is slowly but surely actively mutilating our beloved Kruger!!!

[Mel]

Confirmed recently that the hotel scoping report and EIA are still on hold pending ministerial approval of the Zonation Plan.
SanParks submitted this to the Minister a while ago. An ex-member also wrote to the Minister two weeks ago requesting clarity on the issue, but there is total silence!

Well, the silence is broken now...

[Bushcraft]

I posted the below on the SPF in February and it got me banned. Lets see who's correct.

I’m not sure if I’m misinterpreting all of this, but I get the impression that this has been purposefully “reassessed” to open the door for future development in other areas.

This possibility and the areas were mentioned by a few mites 18 months ago, which was denied by SANParks and mites were accused of speculation and got in trouble for it. I.e. plans for opening the doors for hotels in other areas. Well, based on this they weren't speculating!!

The 2km buffer zone outside of the park? Does this ensure that only SANParks can develop in that area thereby ensuring all the profit?

Isn’t this ensuring developers, the guys with the bucks, etc, the reassurance that they will have limited competition, thereby giving investors, who are only in it for the money, peace of mind?

I have seen many rapped on the knuckles, accused of trolling, etc for mentioning what is now a reality and since this isn't visible to guests, many won’t even know of the assessments

[Poplap]

Sad to say, BC, I think you were.

[Lisbeth]

This is a very sad moment for humankind and South Africans in particular. When a government makes a dicision like this one and explains it in a covert and absolutely not truthful nor complete way, it means that 1. The decision has been taken against the will of an important part of the population. 2. That democracy is on it's way out of the window. This is a very, very sad day indeed.

For my peace of mind I would like to know, if there has been any public discussion on this matter, parlamentary or other?

[Poplap]

[Lisbeth]

Sounds rather like the beginning to end to me. I am happy that we are coming this year, because shortly there will be very little left of the Kruger that we know and I feel terribly sad and terribly frustrated....and terribly angry too!!!!!!

[Mel]

What I don't get about that all is if the responsible people
in government don't understand the scope of what they are doing / approving?
Why is it that there is such an urgent need to overdevelop everything and
spoil the last of the remaining natural wonders of this mostly rotten planet?

[Poplap]

Lis and Mel, good questions.

[Bushcraft]

Democracy, hasn’t formed part of the SA “culture” for a few years now IMO and I deal with the “money” decisions daily. It’s very frustrating for me to try and express or highlight this “way of thinking” in SA as many don’t understand that culturally there’s never been a thought for tomorrow.

I hoped that I was wrong, but I don’t think so.