– The DA has raised the dire condition of Nzhelele Dam Nature Reserve, which forms part of the UNESCO-designated Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, and called for urgent intervention.
– Limpopo’s provincial executive has assured the Legislature that LEDET will work with DWS to address the concerns raised.
– The DA will closely monitor this commitment and hold the responsible departments accountable before this irreplaceable environmental asset is lost.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo warned at the most recent sitting of the Limpopo Legislature that, unless urgent steps are taken to address the dire state of the Nzhelele Dam Nature Reserve, this irreplaceable environmental asset may be lost. While assurances were given that the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), together with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), would address the concerns raised, the DA will closely monitor whether these commitments are translated into urgent and effective corrective action.
The Nzhelele Dam Nature Reserve forms part of the UNESCO-designated Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, a landscape internationally recognised for its exceptional biodiversity, ecological importance and contribution to sustainable development.
The reserve should safeguard biodiversity, protect a critical water resource, support tourism and preserve Limpopo’s natural heritage.
Instead, this internationally significant conservation area has been allowed to deteriorate through neglect:
- Poaching and illegal netting have devastated wildlife populations and contributed to declining fish stocks;
- Critical infrastructure has been allowed to fail;
- The reserve lacks the personnel and equipment required to perform even the most basic conservation functions;
- The theft of the reserve’s borehole pump has left staff without a reliable water supply;
- Rangers have no patrol boat with which to police illegal activity on the dam and must instead drive more than 13 kilometres to reach sections of the reserve; and
- Only three field rangers are expected to protect more than 2 000 hectares.
This is wholly inadequate and makes effective conservation and law enforcement extremely difficult.
The neglect of Nzhelele Dam Nature Reserve threatens the integrity of the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo’s biodiversity, water security, tourism and the economic opportunities that effective conservation should create for surrounding communities.
This is not merely a failure to manage a provincial nature reserve. It is a failure to protect a globally recognised environmental asset that should be a source of pride, conservation, tourism and economic opportunity for Limpopo.
The commitment given in the Legislature must now be translated into urgent and measurable action, including:
- Replacing the stolen borehole pump and other essential equipment;
- Providing a functional patrol boat;
- Strengthening anti-poaching and enforcement capacity;
- Repairing and maintaining the reserve’s infrastructure;
- Filling critical ranger and management vacancies; and
- Restoring effective management of the reserve.
The DA will monitor the implementation of the commitment made by LEDET and DWS and will continue to demand accountability until the reserve’s gross deficiencies are remedied.
Limpopo cannot claim to value conservation, tourism and job creation while allowing an internationally recognised natural asset to collapse through neglect.