The environmental authority for KZN is investigating the culpability of the neighbouring developer in the damage to the Swamp Fig Forest situated in Elaleni Coastal Forest Estate.

The 17.5-hectare protected wetland, one of South Africa’s last remaining of its kind, is home to the endangered swamp fig tree. It is illegal to cut, damage, or destroy these trees without a license.

The investigation centres on the Coral Cove Senior Living construction site, adjacent to Elaleni.

Heavy rains in March reportedly washed large amounts of soil into the forest, causing sediment accumulation and dieback of vegetation.

While some soil may have originated from within Elaleni, the KZN Department of Economic development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) is examining whether Coral Cove’s developer, Auria, adhered to its environmental management plan (EMP) and if the damage could have been prevented.

Elaleni residents, already engaged in a 10-month dispute with Coral Cove over dust, property damage and health concerns, are demanding immediate rehabilitation of the forest.

However, disagreements over responsibility and cost-sharing have delayed progress for nine months.

Zululami and Elaleni’s ecologist, Simon Bundy, confirmed the forest’s condition, stating, “There has been inundation of sediment, resulting in dieback of large trees and vegetation. Excessive sediment alters plant-water relations, which can be detrimental to the ecosystem.”

The Elaleni Homeowners Association has begun removing silt and formulated a response plan, but the estimated rehabilitation cost runs into millions of Rands.

Auria CEO Barry Kaganson maintains they are not the only ones to blame, attributing the damage to multiple causes over time, predating the Coral Cove project.

He said Auria is collaborating with Zululami and Elaleni to appoint consultants and determine a remediation strategy and cost-sharing plan.

Kaganson claimed his company had previously offered financial support, but Elaleni residents say the offers fell far short of what was needed.

According to the Coral Cove EMP there should have been a 30-metre corridor of vegetation between the construction site and the swamp forest. But footage taken by several Elaleni residents show construction workers clearing the corridor vegetation on March 6, on the border between the estates.

Two weeks later, heavy rain on March 20 and 21 caused soil to flood in from the Coral Cove construction site through the fence line into the forest.

Subsequent rains are said to have caused similar damage.

Elaleni resident Samantha Meyrick said flooding that occurred before the corridor vegetation was removed did not cause notable damage to the forest.

“Even after the massive floods in April 2022, the only damage to the forest was to the boardwalk,” said Meyrick.

Elaleni developer Wesley Bench-Capon, who could not be reached for comment, describes the forest on the estate’s website as “an extremely important asset to conservation”.

However, achieving its restoration now hinges on resolving this ongoing dispute.

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