09 April 2014 - The
Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs,
Mrs Edna Molewa, and the Mozambican Minister
of Tourism, Mr Carvalho Muária, will
sign a Memorandum of Understanding in the
field of Biodiversity, Conservation and
Management at Skukuza in the Kruger National
Park on 17 April 2014.
Mozambique is regarded
as a priority country for South Africa within
the SADC region and South Africa recognises
the need for engaging with Mozambique on
wildlife management. This is particularly
with respect to addressing the scourge of
rhino poaching within the Great Limpopo
Transfrontier Park (GLTP), as escalating
incidences of poaching have become a major
challenge within the GLTP to rhino populations.
The signing of the MOU
between the two countries follows extensive
negotiations, and less than a year since
a bilateralmeeting took place on 14 June
2013 in Maputo, Mozambique, between Minister
Molewa and Minister Muária.
It was acknowledged
at the June 2013 meeting that a government-to-government
MOU on Cooperation in the field of Biodiversity,
Conservation and Management was required
to assist in addressing wildlife crimes,
including rhino poaching.
The conclusion of the
agreement comes as the number of rhinos
poached in South Africa since the start
of 2014 increased to 277. The number of
alleged poachers arrested since January
1, 2014, has risen to 86.
A total of 166 rhinos
have been poached in the Kruger National
Park, 34 in Limpopo, 32 in North West, and
24 in KwaZulu-Natal.
South Africa are urged
to report incidents of poaching and tip-offs
to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205
005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.
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Postponed: Deputy Minister
of Water and Environmental Affairs to hand
over renovated facilities at Sandveld Nature
Reserve
22 April 2014 - The
Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental
Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi will on
25 April 2014 hand over renovated facilities
at the Sandveld Nature Reserve, in the Free
State.
The handover forms part
of environmental projects that the Department
of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is funding
through its Environmental Protection and
Infrastructure Programme (EPIP). The projects
are implemented using labour intensive methods
as per the requirements of Expanded Public
Works Programme (EPWP) and their objective
is to ensure that whilst addressing DEA’s
environmental mandate, job creation, small
business development and skills development
opportunities are also created. In the previous
and current financial year there have been
five such projects implemented within the
Nature Reserves in the Free State Province,
and the handover of the renovated facilities
at Sandveld Nature Reserves is one of these.
The Sandveld project
was undertaken with the aim of constructing
six new chalets; one new ablution block;
the relocation of the caravan park to a
new caravan site and electrification; installation
of concrete tables; renovation of the existing
entrance gate; construction of a street
entrance gate wall; as well as the installation
of signage in the Reserve. Also forming
part of the project were the renovation
of ten existing chalets; supplying all chalets
with furniture, paving of the parking lot
and small portion of the resort; the provision
of linen for bedding; renovation of existing
ablution block; as well as conversion of
the ablution block to chalets.
The project’s implementation
started on 13 March 2011 and ended in October
2013. The total project budget amounted
to R28 800 000. The project created 195
work opportunities with 76 going to youth,
104 to women and 4 to people with disabilities.
The Department has further committed R15
000 000, which will be used for pavement
of a five kilometre entrance road.
