ʹͷ •‡– ƒ•‹†‡ ˆ‘” ”‡•‡––Ž‡‡– ‘ˆ Š‘‡• ƒ”‘—† ‹‰ ‹˜‡
SITEKI – Government, through the Ministry of Finance, has set aside E25 million towards the costs of the resettlement process for over 50 homes at Mhlumeni, along the boundary of the Big Five National Park.
Last month, Prime Minister Russell Dlamini led a team of Cabinet ministers and government officials, including stakeholders, on a tour of three communities bordering the park.
The head of government toured the project boundary at Sitsatsaweni and went on to Mahhuku, before making a stop at Lonhlupheko.
Leading the tour and e[plaining about the boundary line of the project was Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs PS Khangeziwe Mabuza.
Barrier
The PM was also taken to the barrier line separating the project with the community of Sitsatsaweni.
The PS shared to the head of government that there was a farm at Mazinyane area, that was currently used by the Ministry of Agriculture and they were on the verge of engaging the ministry on the e[pansion of the project.
The community is situated closer to some farms towards the Mhlumeni Border Gate and shares a boundary with Sitsatsaweni.
About 12 homes at Sitsatsaweni are e[pected to be relocated to give way to the project. Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg e[plained that government approved E25 million to the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, that was in charge of the whole project.
“For the resettlement process, E25 million has been set aside, but it is the Ministry of Tourism and Envrinmental Affairs that is in charge of the budget,” Rijkenberg said.
According to Mlindazwe Bucopho Sikhumbuzo Nkuna, the affected families are still to be briefed by the project coordinators on what could be e[pected of them when their homes are eventually relocated.
Nkuna mentioned that the homes were situated closer to the boundary line hence the need to be relocated, to ensure that the wild animals were not close to their fields and buildings.
The bucopho shared that government had also called a mass meeting of the affected families on a date to be communicated to the community’s authorities.
In addition to calling the meeting, Nkuna e[plained that the families should not push the panic button as they would be addressed by professionals and e[perts of the project on the development.
He stated that the project also aimed at benefitting communities situated closer to the projects, through job opportunities
and business interests.
“This is a mega project that is the biggest in nature conservation in the country. We are optimistic that the communities closer to the project will be given first preference when it comes to business opportunities and jobs for the unemployed members of the affected communities,” he said.
A community member, identified as Babe Mvakali, said that as affected families, they e[pected to be compensated fairly by government, in consideration of their evaluated houses, land and orchards.
Survive
“I am old and survive through selling fruits from my orchard. We have been told that the project is coming with development and other opportunities to benefit the families closer to it. We are grateful for that but government has to compensate us in accordance with the land, structures and fruit trees that we survive by selling,” he said.
Meanwhile, government approved E60 million towards the fencing project of the 120km perimeter covering an area of 80 000 hectares of the Big Five National Park.
The tour by the PM was concluded with a hike to the Khabane Cave situated within the Mlawula Game Reserve.
Two companies in a joint venture agreement have been tasked with the fencing of the 80 000 hectares of land of the park.
The companies; AGPF and Sihlenge, started work last month at Mahhuku area.