Since the wide publication last week of the Fuleni open cast coal mine proposed by iButho Coal (Pty) Ltd and sited within 40 to 70 metres of the southern boundary fence of the historic iMfolozi Wilderness area, a groundswell of international and local opposition is building to the application.  Comments and objections continue to stream in with the news that the date for comment has been extended to Monday, 12 May 2014.

The iMfolozi Wilderness is one of the oldest wilderness areas and falls within the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi-Park (HiP) the first protected area in Africa and the original refuge for the white rhino.  HiP is a major tourism attraction and the iMfolozi Wilderness Area has provided life-changing experiences and generated valuable income for the HiP since 1959 when wilderness trails were first introduced by the legendary conservationist, Dr Ian Player.  HiP still plays a vital conservation role by providing a refuge for the densest concentration of rhino in the world, under constant threat of being poached for rhino horn for trade in China and Vietnam. 

The local Avaaz petition: “Say NO to Ibutho Coal and its Fuleni Anthracite Project!” and the website “Save our iMfolozi Wilderness” and Facebook were posted on 1 May 2014 and since then almost 700 signatures a day from all over the world are being added to the petition and an overwhelming number of objections were lodged before the original cut-off date of 2 May 2014 with IDM’s Mr Karl Wiggishoff Karlw@idmconsultants.co.za, the public participation consultants. 

Many of the objections are from ordinary citizens.  Project Rhino SA reports more than 12000 people have viewed this story on their Facebook site and 187 have shared the story on their own pages, many of them groups with their own networks.  Similarly

Concerns range from disregard for internationally accepted standards and legislation for Protected Areas, and the fact that the mine would definitely fall within a buffer zone.  It will also eliminate a nationally approved plan to extend protected areas that will simultaneously contribute to improved livelihoods for communities within the area.  The mine will irreparably compromise the integrity of the wilderness area and make it easier for poachers to enter the park.

Other direct impacts on HiP include dust and vibrations from blasting, light pollution impacting on wilderness trails, the spread of invasive alien plants into the wilderness area, impacts on the catchment through diversions of streams, and contamination of the water system extending as far as the iSimangaliso World Heritage site. In order to meet global targets to reduce climate change, SA should not be commissioning new coal mines given that mining is one of the greatest contributors to climate change and global warming.  EMPs for coal mines should be required to provide rigorous data relating to all direct and indirect impacts including emissions of greenhouse gases from the proposed mining operations and for the transportation and combustion of the coal/anthracite to overseas and local markets. 

South African organisations that have united under the umbrella of the Wilderness Alliance include supporters: The Wilderness Foundation, The Global Environmental Trust, The Wilderness Action Group, The African Conservation Trust, The Magqubu Ntombela Foundation, the Game Rangers Association of Africa, the South African Trust for Protected Areas, Project Rhino KZN, the Makhado Action Group, Mining Affected Communities United in Action. The list is growing. International supporters include The Gaia Foundation, WILD – USA, the Wilderness Specialist Group of IUCNI, SFO/USA, the World Wilderness Congress – and this list is also growing.