EC nature reserve entangled in row
Protests force Silaka shutdown
DISAGREEMENTS between the province’s tourism agency and residents of a village near Port St Johns have led to the temporary closure of Silaka nature reserve.
Frustrated residents of Sicambeni village last Friday protested outside the reserve’s gates and demanded that the reserve be closed until their grievances were attended to.
Among their grievances are the issues of recruitment in the reserve and some unused land which the community wants back.
The reserve is co-managed by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) and seven claimant villages through provincial comanagement agreements that seek to ensure communities benefit from reserves.
Sicambeni is one of the seven villages. Its spokesperson, Ntsindiso Nongqavu, said so far they had seen no benefits from Silaka.
A similar protest led to the closure of the reserve in 2013 but the protest was called off when the traditional leader of the area, Chief Mbhele Gobindlovu, called for the reserve to be re-opened. At the time the two parties undertook to resolve their differences.
Nongqavu said their protest last week was because none of those resolutions had been met.
“The issue now is that the reserve no longer has any of the game it used to have like buffalo, springbok and zebra and so what we are saying is that if the piece of land that was reserved for game is not being used it should be given back to the community to use,” said Nongqavu.
He said there was also the issue of employment.
“We were told that young people from the seven villages would be given jobs at the reserve but only a handful of our youth got work there,” he said, adding that they had followed all the proper procedures for complaining before protesting last week.
Nongqavu said the protest was the only way of getting the attention of the department of economic development and environment affairs and tourism (Dedeat) MEC Sakhumzi Somyo.
ECPTA CEO Vuyani Dayimani said the reserve had to be closed with immediate effect for the safety of visitors and staff, whom the protesters had told to vacate the premises.
“ECPTA management is working with all involved stakeholders for a resolution to the issue – a resolution that will, however, stem from the Chaguba Communal Property Association, the traditional authority, the concerned protesters – who are predominantly youths – and the Port St Johns local municipality,” said Dayimani.
He said current visitors to the reserve were being notified and alternative accommodation arrangements were being made for them.
“Additional staff as well as support from the local Dedeat office have been dispatched to the reserve.
“Arrangements are being made to secure additional security for the reserve,” he said.
He added: “ECPTA apologises for the inconvenience caused to visitors currently at the reserve and for those with standing bookings, and further commits to ensuring the issue is resolved timeously and amicably.” —