Africa Wild

Land invasion at Gauteng game reserve
2014-05-12 07:28





Pretoria - The Dinokeng Game Reserve, north of Pretoria, secured an urgent interdict against land invaders at the weekend, Beeld newspaper reported on Monday.

Hundreds of people destroyed the reserve's fence on Friday and set the veld alight.

Stones were hurled at Dinokeng workers who tried to put out the fire.

Reserve manager Piet Venter said the court granted an urgent interdict against the land invaders on Saturday evening.

He said the reserve received a letter from the community last week saying 19 hectares of the reserve's land belonged to them and demanded that the fence be taken down for them to build a school and clinic.

"We explained that the fence was necessary to keep the Big Five inside the reserve," said Venter.

By Sunday, the situation seemed to be under control with police patrolling the area, reported Beeld.

The local ANC has requested a meeting on Monday with reserve and police officials.

- SAPA




http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... e-20140512

This thing is very serious indeed, and has implications for conservation in SA in general.

It is timed to be just after the elections, make no mistake, and typical of the "Mahala Mentality" existing amongst the majority voting populace, IMO only.

There is no official land claim on that area, it was proclaimed by the government as an economic big 5 money-spinner for the province a scant year or two ago, amidst much fanfare!

Land-grabbing is the order of the day amongst certain groups now, and one would ignore this at one's own peril.

Why the police don't simply intervene, and why a costly interdict is required, is ridiculous!

Saw it on the news last night!! They were saying that the elephants and rhinos have all this land to live on while they have none!!

So now animals must also be dispossessed of land?


This logic is crap, and typical of desperate communities being manipulated by political elements, IMO only.

It applies to conservation in general, where for example people of all races have expressed concern that so much effort is being put into saving an animal (rhino), while people are dying of hunger and being murdered etc.

What they do not or do not wish to realise is that ecotourism provides a solid, long-term source of especially foreign income, with MINIMAL annual overheads compared to other tourism sectors, looking at the use of otherwise worthless land!

Tried and proven across the globe, and desperately being maintained in most safari destination countries in Africa.

They must just be informed locally as to the benefits, regarding job-creation and sustainable community involvement.


The bigwigs controlling that province are jumping around trying to maintain power, and this thing could go South very fast!

you are so right

all that needs a lot of education/information

Some "wise guy" taking advantage of the ignorance of the locals as RP said

The biggest problem is when the locals get the land they just let it self-destruct. They expect to carry on earning an income from it without putting in any work. How many once-profitable farms are now lying barren?

Do the trip from Hazyview to Kruger Gate, and see what the once stunning Lisbon Estates citrus farm looks like, after a "legitemate" land claim resolution was attained 2 years ago.

Ugly.

What a waste