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A KwaZulu-Natal Conservation portfolio committee oversight inspection has revealed that more than R40 million and at least R20 million in operational expenditure must urgently be found to secure the future of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s flagship Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (HIP).

The oversight, called for by the Democratic Alliance (DA), has exposed that almost the entire HIP western boundary fence – spanning 93km – is in extremely poor condition with some 20km completely unfenced. This while a total of 162km of fencing is required to fully secure the park.

The dire security situation, which has persisted for years, is unfortunately not limited to HIP. While the park remains the hardest hit, there has also been a dramatic knock-on effect at all KZN Ezemvelo facilities in terms of poaching, incursions, and illegal activities.

New statistics indicate that:
• There were 259 illegal entries and poaching incidents across all Ezemvelo facilities between April 2021 and March 2022
• There were also 82 incidents of destruction of park property
• There were 78 incidents of arson
• 100 illegal harvestings were reported and
• There were 82 incidents of dog hunting, which remains outlawed.

Importantly, fencing is also critical in preventing the ingress of the virulent foot and mouth disease – both in and out of the park – with several cases already detected within HIP.

Ezemvelo has admitted that up to 60% of fencing of all their protected areas does not meet specification. While HIP needs R40 million for fencing, the entity also needs an estimated R100 million to deal with fencing issues at all its parks in KZN.

The oversight has however revealed that anti-poaching operations are in full force, with various specialised units now operational day and night. The DA commends Ezemvelo rangers and other law enforcement agencies who are now taking the fight to the poachers. These fully armed and equipped units are highly mobile and have visibly improved park security.

The time has come for KZN Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) MEC, Ravi Pillay, to forgo his persistent attendance at glamorous events and functions – and get back to the core business of finding money for the beleaguered entity.

In this regard, urgent representations must be made to Treasury to secure at least R40 million for “smart” animal-proof electrified fencing. Additional operating expenditure must also be obtained in order to employ another cohort of rangers who have already been trained.

In order to make this happen, the MEC must exercise his executive authority. The future of KZN’s premier state-owned wildlife park depends on it.

Issued by Heinz de Boer, MPL - DA KZN Spokesperson on EDTEA