PARK INVASION: Fever trees felled, fencing destroyed near iSimangaliso — 52 people arrested

Traffic was halted for several hours on the road between Hluhluwe and Sodwana Bay this week, and at least 52 people were arrested after they hacked down trees. Wildlife fencing was torn down, and larger patches of fever trees were chopped down with chainsaws in the adjoining iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

Indigenous fever trees covering an area of at least 10 hectares of land, along with millions of rands’ worth of wildlife fencing, have been destroyed in the Ozabeni section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and World Heritage Site in KwaZulu-Natal, apparently due to frustration over delays in settling community land claims.

The SA Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed that at least 52 people were arrested in the wake of community protests and a road blockade on the R22 road between Hluhluwe and Sodwana Bay on Wednesday afternoon, 19 August.

Another roadblock was set up in the same area early on Friday, 21 August, but was cleared away by police and other security personnel.

Motorists reported being stuck for up to five hours when several large fever trees were felled on the R22, at a point where the Mkhuze River crosses the road, south of the Mkhuze Game Reserve.

Wesley Gold, who was driving southwards towards Pietermaritzburg, said the blockade spot – near a river crossing – seemed to have been chosen carefully, making it impossible for vehicles to try and drive around the felled trees.

Gold said he arrived at dusk, just as the blockage was being cleared away, and was escorted pass the remnants of the blockage by police vehicles.

“There were at least 10 large fever trees that had been used to block the road and it was a bit like driving through a series of chicanes, with tree wreckage on both the left and right.”

SAPS spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that police had arrested 52 suspects for “trespassing, contravention of a court order, malicious damage to property, assault on police, possession of dangerous weapon and public violence” and were due to appear before Mtubatuba Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority said in a press statement on 21 August that it had obtained an urgent interim court order from the High Court more than a month ago to halt the illegal occupation of several sections of the park.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority spokesperson Bheki Manzini told Daily Maverick that those arrested this week allegedly contravened the terms of the court order by clearing trees or establishing farming plots in the Ozabeni area and other sections of the park.

Manzini said grievances appeared to stem from dissatisfaction over delays in settling land claims, though other sources in the area noted that the protest action appeared to be well-funded and organised.

“This does not seem to be hungry people spontaneously clearing land to establish farming plots. It is very well organised. Transport has been provided to drop off and collect people from several places, along with the chainsaws and fuel to chop down trees and wildlife fencing.