Saddle-billed Stork - a rare species finding refuge at Mapungubwe. But for how long?

South Africa’s No. 1 Important Bird Area (IBA) is threatened by coal mining in the Limpopo River Valley – a good example of a short term, unsustainable activity ending a valuable natural heritage, perhaps forever.  (Forever is a long time!)  South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources has recently approved a new order mining right to Australian-based CoAL of Africa for a coal coking project in one of the most ecologically and culturally valuable places in the southern African region.  It appears that the enviornmental impact assessment process was flawed and South Africa’s Minister of Environmental & Water Affairs was also opposed to the granting of the mining rights and lodged an official objection to the application.

The mining area is situated in the buffer zone of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area spanning three countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana).  This conservation area includes the Mapungubwe National Park, Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (a valuable archaeological site), Mapungubwe World Heritage Site AND an Important Bird Area (No. SA001 on the country’s list of IBAs).  Mapungubwe is the archaeological site where a famous gold rhino statuette was discovered among numerous other archaeological treasures, many of which would be destroyed by the mining operation.  The area includes part of Botswana’s Tuli Block and a section of the Shase River in eastern Zimbabwe.  BirdLife SA and other environmental NGOs have rejected the approval of the new order mining right, especially when taking the area’s tremendous cultural and natural history value into consideration.

Coal mining in this area will lead to irreversible loss of biodiversity, air and water pollution and reduced eco and cultural tourism opportunities.

The NGO coalition says it has proof that the enviromental assessment processes were not followed.  CoAL of Africa is planning to develop the Vele project in two phases.  Phase 1 aims to deliver an estimated 1 million saleable tons of coking coal per annum, while Phase 2 plans to deliver 5 million tons per annum.  According to BirdLife SA, the NGO coalition has joined forces to formally oppose the mine and is preparing to approach the courts for relief.  Coal mining will not only destroy the integrity of the area’s natural environment but also impact severely on the scarce water resources of the region, cause harmful acid drainage and result in air pollution.  This will affect not only Mapungubwe’s biodiversity but also the sustainable ecotourism that is now a viable economic activity providing jobs.  Eco- and cultural tourism in the area would be negatively affected by blasting, noise and permanent lighting.

Manager of BirdLife SA’s IBA programme has stated that Vhembe Nature Reserve was identified as an IBA using international criteria.  It supports a number of globally and nationally threatened and range restricted birds including the White-backed Night Heron, Tawny Eagle and Southern Ground Hornbill.  The mining right will have a very detrimental effect on this IBA with populations of these birds likely to crash and the region loosing its IBA status.  A recent study has recorded some 470 species of birds in the region (almost half the entire number found in the sub-region), indicating that bird diversity here is equal to that of the Kruger National Park.  An estimated 300 resident and some 30 migratory species breed hre, with numbers being bolstered during the summer by non-breeding migrants.  Endangered species such as Pels Fishing Owl and the Saddle-billed Stork, which are currently found here, may disappear, further contracting their range and increasing their chances of extinction in years to come.

Should the mining go ahead, one of South Africa’s cultural and natural treasure troves will be lost forever.