Reserve Renewal Project

LIMPOPO MEC for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs (Ledet), Seaparo Sekoati, believes that the launch of the Reserve Renewal Project at Lekgalameetse village in Sekororo will create job opportunities for the community.

The Reserve Renewal Project is a strategic intervention by the national department of environmental affairs and the provincial department of economic development, environment and tourism, which aims to address the current infrastructure backlog of state owned nature reserves.

The main focus of the project will be to restore, renew, develop and maintain the aging and dilapidated reserve infrastructure in the province.

Fourteen identified nature reserves in the province have already received facelifts: Masebe, D’Nyala, Lekgalameetse, Nwanedi, Letaba, Makuya, Doorndraai, Rust De Winter, Thabina, Wolkberg, Hans Merensky, Modjadji, Potlake and Blouberg.

Speaking during the launch of the programme recently, Sekoati said the funding for this project was allocated by the national department of environmental affairs.

Sekoati said there were 22 nature reserves in the province which were owned by communities and managed on behalf of the communities by the state. There are currently 615 job opportunities and this will be increased to 1 000 after the launch.

Sekoati said other benefits of the project would include land restoration (habitation) through the removal of invasive plants and bush encroachment which may create secondary business opportunities such as charcoal, firewood, and other bio-prospecting opportunities.

“This would contribute to ensuring that a target of 37 365 work opportunities, which translate to 14 501 full-time opportunities are achieved by all participating public bodies such as Ledet and the provincial department of agriculture. Ledet has signed an Extended Public Works Programmes (EPWP) at all levels of government and these have subsequently translated into EPWP policies at municipal level,” Sekoati said.

Jacky Mahatsi (25) from Molepo is a beneficiary of the Reserve Renewal Project at Wolkberg Nature Reserve in Ga-Molepo. He said his life and that of his family had changed for the better since he started working. He said he was very happy because his family now had a better life.