Exclusion of Melkbosrand from Augrabies Waterfall National Park: adoption

LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE
24 February 2004
EXCLUSION OF MELKBOSRAND FROM AUGRABIES WATERFALL NATIONAL PARK: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Rev P Moatshe (ANC)

Documents handed out:
None.

SUMMARY
The Committee was briefed by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Riemvasmaak Development Trust regarding the ratification of the exclusion of Melkbosrand from the Augrabies Waterfall National Park. The Committee enquired about the current impact of the community tourism venture. The Committee ratified the exclusion and added that the incoming Committee should visit the area. The Department and the Riemvasmaak Development Trust (RDT) should share core management roles.

MINUTES
The Chairperson read the apologies received from Ms A Versveld (DA) and Dr E Conroy (NNP).

Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism briefing
Ms F de Coning, Department Co-ordinator of Transfrontier Conservation, reported that a submission had been forwarded to the Minister on 22 October 1998 to obtain approval to approach Parliament regarding the exclusion of Melkbosrand, an area of 4137 hectares, from the Augrabies Waterfall National Park.

She quoted Section 23 of the National Parks Act that no land included in a national park, as described in schedule 1, could be excluded, detached or alienated from a national park except under the authority of a resolution of Parliament. The Minister was informed that negotiations to settle the land claims by the Riemvasmaak community, part of which was the Melkbosrand area of the Augrabies National Park, had been in progress for a number of years. Meetings had been held with the Select Committee and the Portfolio Committee. The RDT had agreed to use the land for the benefit of the community.

Riemvasmaak Community Development Trust: briefing
Mr K Damarah presented in Afrikaans, which was translated by Ms F de Coning. The Riemvasmaak community wanted the Melkbosrand area to be deproclaimed from the Augrabies Falls National Park, a process that had started in 1994.

The community had held negotiations with South African National Parks, but the not all community members wanted a national park as they had misgivings about the social impacts of re-allocation of the land. On 27 June 2003, the community reached consensus and decided that Melkbosrand should be deproclaimed and the possibility of the establishment of a community tourism park be investigated. The area would be an environmentally protected and economic spin-offs could ease the poverty of the local inhabitants. There were successful community-based tourism activities currently underway in Riemvasmaak, that were advertised nationally and internationally. The Riemvasmaak Development Trust had the support of both the Siyanda District Municipality as well as the Northern Cape Provincial government.

Discussion
The Chairperson commented that the issue could be better understood if the Committee had gone on an inspection trip of the area.

Mr V Windvoël (ANC) asked about the population size of the community and the type of tourist activities envisaged.

Mr Damarah replied that there were 200 families in the Riemvasmaak area and that the tourist activities included 4x4 trails, hiking trails and hotsprings with accommodation facilities.

Ms de Coning added that the area was adjacent to the Augrabies Falls National Park and that the community would like to develop their own community-based park.

Mr M Sulliman (ANC) enquired about what mechanisms were in place to ensure that the community would benefit directly from this venture.

Mr Damarah replied that there was a management committee and that the Riemvasmaak Community Development Trust was the main authority, with a tourism sub-committee. Mr R Adams of the RDT added that the venture would create jobs for the community.

Rev M Chabaku (ANC) requested more information about the job creation activities. This included how many women, youth and disabled persons were employed, as well as the type of projects currently underway.

Mr Adams replied that there was three permanent and 24 casual workers at the hotsprings and that during the peak tourist season, up to 80 casual workers were also employed. Field guides were used on a daily basis. Income from the project had been donated to projects for the elderly; an annual Christmas party for young children, and to two schools.

Ms N Dlulane (ANC) recommended that new members of the incoming Committee should urgently visit the area to fulfil its oversight role.

Rev Moatshe said that it was clear that the community should be beneficiaries. He said that the exclusion was ratified, but the incoming Committee should visit the area and that the Department and the community should have dual core management.

The meeting was adjourned.