06 November 2007 - Media
Statement
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
TUESDAY, 06 NOVEMBER 2007: Marthinus van
Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism of South Africa, today signed
the Memorandum of Understanding concerning
Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles
of the Atlantic Coast of Africa in the presence
of Mr Douglas Hykle, senior advisor to the
Convention on Migratory Species.
The objective of the MoU is to protect,
conserve, replenish and recover marine turtles
and their habitats in the Atlantic Ocean.
South Africa has joined 22 West African
countries that are committed to the conservation
of marine turtles. Angola, Benin, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Equatorial
Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao
Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
Togo are the current signatories. This means
that all 23 African Range States are now
on board.
Marine turtles are thought to be numerous
along much of the Atlantic coast of Africa,
extending some 14 000km from Morocco to
South Africa including nesting sites, feeding
areas, and migration corridors of importance
for six species including the loggerhead
turtle, the olive ridley turtle, the green
turtle, the hawksbill turtle and the leatherback
turtle.
The MOU aims to heighten conservation efforts
of the populations of marine turtles frequenting
the territorial waters and beaches of the
Atlantic coast of Africa, from the Strait
of Gibraltar to the Cape of Good Hope, including
Macronesia which are seriously threatened.
Five of the world’s seven marine turtle
species occur in the Atlantic ocean and
form an important part of the biodiversity
of the coastal and marine ecosystems. Sea
turtles are valued as socio-cultural assets
as well as economic and food sources especially
for poor coastal communities. Due to the
highly migratory nature of sea turtles living
in many different countries through out
their lives and continued unsustainable
use, sea turtles are now considered endangered
or critically endangered in many parts of
their range. The major threats to turtles
are due to harvesting of turtles or eggs,
habitat destruction, development and pollution,
and incidental capture in fisheries activities.
The Atlantic coast off Southern Africa is
particularly known for the large industrial
fishing with apparent devastating effects
to sea turtle populations.
The MOU acknowledges that if these human-induced
threats are not properly mitigated and managed,
that it could lead to a further decline
in marine turtle population numbers.
To view the MOU go to www.deat.gov.za
Carol Moses
+ More
Traditional protocol for cleansing and
healing is followed in preparation for the
repatriation and reburial of Mapungubwe
human remains
06 November 2007 - Media Statement - Issued
by The Department of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism and the Freedom Park Trust
TUESDAY, 06 NOVEMBER 2007: The National
Department of Environmental Affairs, in
collaboration with The Freedom Park Trust
and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture
in Limpopo, hosted a Cleansing and Healing
Ceremony as well as the return of the spirits
on O6 November 2007 at 9:30 at the Mapungubwe
National Park.
Mapungubwe is believed to be one of the
first states in Southern Africa. Hailed
as the centre of the largest kingdom on
the sub-continent, where, in ancient times,
a highly sophisticated civilisation conducted
trade with various other populations such
as China, India and Egypt. The origins of
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape can be traced
back 1 100 years.
The University of Pretoria exhumed the
remains of inhabitants of this ancient society
for research purposes. In line with the
National Heritage Resources Act 25 (1999),
which facilitates repatriation of human
remains, the Lemba Cultural Association,
Leshiba Royal Family, Machete Royal Family,
San Council, Tshivhula Royal Council and
Vhangona Cultural Movement have claimed
the human remains of the inhabitants of
Mapungubwe. On 29 October 2007, the Universities
of Pretoria and the Witwatersrand as well
as the National Flagship Institution released
these remains to the bona fide descendants
of Mapungubwe.
Starting with sacred ceremonies on 05 November
2007, traditional activities were concluded
with a Cleansing and Healing Ceremony including
the return of the spirits to Mapungubwe
that took place on 06 November 2007.
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi described
this event “as a dignified return of the
spirits of the Mapungubwe ancestors to their
home where they will rest in peace. This
is a very public acknowledgement of the
moral case for the return of the remains
and spirits of the Mapungubwe ancestors
thus honouring the traditions of communities
and demonstrating the generosity of spirit
that this process required of all of us.
According to Dr Mongane Wally Serote, CEO
of The Freedom Park Trust, repatriation
and reburial are organically linked to cleansing,
healing and return of the spirits.
Since its inception, The Freedom Park Trust
has initiated a number of Cleansing and
Healing Ceremonies, nationally as well as
in Botswana, Swaziland, Mozambique, Tanzania,
the United States of America and Namibia,
to assist the South African nation in the
process of forgiveness, reconciliation and
moving forward as a united nation.
Dr Serote explains that throughout the
world it is common practice that when people
die, they are normally buried at home or
somewhere that the family members have access
to. “Where individuals die on battlefields
or where it is impossible to physically
bring remains home, Africans traditionally
bring them back home, so that they are integrated
with a pool of ancestors who will look after
the living. Failure to bring these spirits
home renders it impossible for the particular
families to integrate their loved ones with
their ancestors and thus prevents a sense
of closure in that family.”
“Cleansing and Healing cuts across beliefs,
traditions, customs and culture in the African
continent. As such, the ceremony will allow
different groups to perform rituals according
to their belief system. A space will also
be identified for descendents to intercede
once the ceremonies have been concluded.”
When delivering a keynote address at this
ceremony, the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture
in Limpopo, Ms Joyce Mashamba remarked that
“this cleansing ceremony once again confirms
the role of traditional healers and elderly
people as mediators between communities
and their ancestors. This occasion reaffirms
the value of ubuntu in our societies - the
willingness to be of service to others and
be the promoter of peace and harmony in
the community”.
The Freedom Park will open its doors for
public visitation in late November 2007.
For more information and tour details, phone
(012) 470 10000 or email: info@freedompark.co.za
P.S. the Freedom Park Trust will from now
on, no longer use the concept Cleansing
and Healing but the concept of U hlapa,
matsediso le o tsenya badimo.
Moses Rannditsheni
