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EZANGAPHAKATHI – ANDREW ZALOUMIS

iWetland Park iqala unyaka weshumi selokhu iNingizimu Afrika yathola inkululeko ngokushicilela enohlonze iWetland Wire. Kwakungonyaka ka 1994 lapho uJaji Leon enza izincomo ngePaki labantu. – uMnu Nelson Mandela nekhabhinethi base benquma ukuthi kongiwe imvelo ukuze kuthuthukiswe ezokuvakasha kunokuba kumbiwe izimayini.

Sisuka kude: ukwakhiwa kwePaki, ukubuyiselwa kwemihlaba kubantu ababephucwe amakhaya abo, ukugcineka kwendawo iyisikhumbuzo, ukwakhiwa kwamathuba emisebenzi nentuthuko.

Bekungelula lokhu, futhi iseyinde indlela. Kuningi esikufundile. Sizoqinisekisa ukuthi esikufundile siyakusebenzisa ekutheni lePaki yenu esezingeni lamagugu omhlaba iphathwe ngendlela esezingeni lomhlaba. Singayithokozela imibono yenu kulokhu. Ukuhlanganiswa kwemiqulu eyaziwa nge “Strategic Environmental Assessment” ne “Integrated Management Plan” kunikeza imiphakathi lelithuba lokuveza imibono. Naleliphepha linengosi yezincwadi zabafundi eyamukela imibono.

Uhlelo lwethu lokuthuthukisa ezokuvakasha lwathola ukugxekwa kanye nezincomo ngokunjalo. Amathuba omsebenzi nezohwebo athe thuthu kulabo abebehlala ePaki phambilini. Kanti akulona iqiniso ukuthi lePaki esizophenduka isigceme salabo abadla izambane likapondo. Iqiniso ukuthi okungenani u-70% wezihambeli zethu kuzoqhubeka kube ngabavakashi bakhona la eNingizimu Afrika.

iPaki isibiyiwe futhi inezindlovu, amahlozi, obhejane nokunye ngesibalo esandile kakhulu kunakuqala. Kunentuthuko ebonakalayo ezintweni ezinjengezidingo zasolwandle, izikhumulo zezikebhe nokunye. Manje sewungathokozela ukuhamba ubuka izilwane (game drives) kunokwehla wenyuka nomgwaqo uya eCape Vidal.

Akumangalisi nokho ukuthi kukhona izinhlaka ezizithola zishiyeke ngaphandle kulentuthuko: umthetho kahulumeni wokuvimbela izimoto eziwuhlobo lwama 4x4 olwandle bekunzima kakhulu ukuwushicilela ePaki. Iqembu eliphikisana nokuvinjelwa kwama 4x4 olwandle elaziwa nge “pro-4x4” laveza imibono ezwakalayo (bheka ingosi yezincwadi ekhasini…) Kepha thina sikholelwa ukuthi izinqumo ezithathiwe ngePaki ngeziyizo nezihambisana nokuzinikela kwethu ekuphatheni iPaki ngendlela esezingeni elifanele ukuvikela imvelo.

Isomiso siwuphazamisile umphakathi owakhele iPaki kepha lokhu kwenze iPaki izuze ngezilwane ezixoshwa isomiso zisuka eMkhuze ezintabeni zobombo ziza ngasogwini.

Kuyamangalisa ukubona amandla emvelo. Asethembe nokho ukuthi lezizimvula ezisanda kusipha ikhefu kulokhu koma zisho okuhle okuzayo.

Mayor Mthombeni

U-Lawrence Mphiwa Mthombeni oyi-Meya yo-Mkhanyakude District Council kanye nelungu le-Bhodi ye-Paki, ungomunye wabaholi asebemnkantshubomvu nabanohlonze abakhokhela uhlelo lokuthuthukiswa kwe-Paki. Wazalwa endaweni yaseNgwavuma ngonyaka ka-1957, kanti uma ukhuluma naye uyazizwela uthando analo ngokomoya lwendawo ye-Paki lapho echaza ubuhle aye abubone ezindaweni ezingasolwandle ezinjenge- Mabibi. U-Meya Mthombeni ukholelwa ukuthi ukutshalwa kwezimali kulendawo akuzukuletha kuphela amathuba emisebenzi, kodwa kuzosishintsha kakhulu isithombe sezomnotho kulesi sifunda ngoba abantu abebencishwe amathuba ngaphambilini, sebezothola amathuba okuzithuthukisa nokubamba iqhaza elibonakalayo neliqavile kwezomnotho nezokuvakasha.

LAWRENCE MPHIWA MTHOMBENI

One of the widely-experienced and dynamic leaders guiding development of the Park through its Board is Umkhanyakude district council mayor Lawrence Mthombeni.
A former principal of Shikishela CP School, he cherishes the memory of a boyhood trip to Kosi Bay organised by a local Catholic priest. Born in Ingwavuma, it was his first trip to the coast and he was overwhelmed by its beauty.
Born in 1957,s Mayor Mthombeni was educated at Star of the Sea school in Manguzi (KwaNgwanase). Except for some years he spent at KwaDlangezwa where he was further educated, he has lived almost all his adult life in the Umkhanyakude region and will not exchange that life for anything as he does not like living in a city. Talking to Mayor Mthombeni one can feel the strong spiritual bond he has with nature as he eloquently describes how the blending of the marine, flora and fauna in coastal places such as Mabibi, impresses and leaves him fulfilled.

According to Mayor Mthombeni the changes that have occurred in the region in particular infrastructural developments such as roads, were unimaginable a few decades ago when people commonly used landrovers to get to the beach. As he goes on to count the many changes which have occurred in the region….. such as that black people are now owning tourism facilities in Park areas such as KwaDapha; the fact that him being a black person sits in the Board of the Park and is being interviewed by a black staff member of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority; and so on… you can feel the impact of the changes on somebody who has lived his entire life in this area seeing the transformation that promises to enlighten the burden of underdevelopment from his fellow country men and women. Being a visionary leader, however, he is quick to point out that one of the challenges still facing the Park is in improving the interlink between the Park and its neighbours, especially Black people who should also be motivated to feel that they can enjoy the Park like anybody else. Education of the neighbouring communities about the Park should receive priority, according to Mayor Mthombeni. And there should be clear lines between the Park and its neighbours so that the neighbouring communities do not feel that the Park is encroaching on their land nor that communities are encroaching on the Park.

Lawrence is, however, optimistic and very upbeat that the recently announced round of tourism investments will not only change life in the region (as many people will be employed and working in these Park areas), but will importantly help the Park meet the above challenges. Many people will start visiting the Park with the increase in tourism facilities that will result from these investments. Lawrence also points out that as a result of the big changes anticipated from these investments, local government has started gearing itself up to increased demand on services such as water and electricity provision. Mayor Mthombeni is also of the view that as the majority of these investments are by black economic empowerment groups, there is a real possibility of bringing about real empowerment of especially the previously disadvantaged communities. This will help black entrepreneurs in the region who through buying shares in these businesses will get an opportunity to grow. His vision for the Park in five years time is to see adequate infrastructure built in the Park which includes adequate provision of water and electricity. He also envisions the Board having by then created enough awareness in communities through education about the values and beauty that can be enjoyed in the Park. With regards to economic opportunities his vision is that of local people and local enterprises engaged and working to provide services and goods to the tourism enterprises.

Finally, when asked his favourite place to visit in the Park, Lawrence chuckled and said he finds it difficult to answer that question as various places in the Park appeal to him in different ways. When pressed further he, however, revealed that there is a place near Mabibi which strikes a special chord in his heart as there he has seen a perfect blend of marine, fauna and flora that awaken and captivates his spirit. Given a chance that is a place he would love to reside in. Well, that is a matter Lawrence will have to settle with Olga Thembelihle, the soft-speaking lady with whom he has built an affable family. They have been blessed with four daughters - Nondumiso (16); Samkelisiwe (13) who recently appeared in the Zululand Observer newspaper (12th January 2004) receiving awards for an excellent pass in Grade 7 class; Nokukhanya (8); and Thula (5). Lawrence and his family reside in Shikishela near Matubatuba.

 

Mayor Mthombeni (centre) with Prof Nzimande (left) and Nkosi Tembe (right) discussing issues in the Park