POLOKWANE – Nature lovers of Polokwane are up in arms over the municipality’s plans to proceed with the establishment of an eco-estate on a portion of the Polokwane Game Reserve, despite strong opposition voiced during a public meeting last year.

This follows a public notice published last week, calling for interested or affected parties to register or submit comments on the application for township establishment on portions of the farms Weltevreden 746LS and Palmietfontein 24KS – currently part of the game reserve – by March 18.

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According to the notice, the proposed development will cover 150.6 hectares and will consist of 132 residential erven, 27 open spaces, and one government facility.

Lisa Grosel, chairperson of the Wildlife Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) Friends of Polokwane Nature Reserve (FOPNR), strongly opposed the development, calling it a questionable endeavour.

She highlighted the city’s existing struggles in providing services to its residents and raised concerns about additional resource allocation for what she described as “an elitist few.”

“The reserve is one of the only protected remnants of the Polokwane plateau bushveld vegetation type in the world and is an important bird and biodiversity area boasting over 64 mammal species, 16 amphibian species, 68 reptile species, 361 bird species, and a critically endangered vegetation biome. An array of red data plant and animal species occur on this reserve,” she said.

Grosel also emphasised the significance of the reserve as a safe space for various recreational activities including cycling, walking, running, horse riding, and game drives.

She noted its crucial role in environmental education: “Schools and universities alike use this reserve on a continual basis, and many research papers and projects have been based on studies conducted here”.

She urged residents to take action by registering as concerned citizens with the consultant, Caiphus Mukwevhu, via e-mail at caiphus.mukwevhu@gmail.com or phone at 082 269 4524.

“Ask for the desktop draft scoping report and please study the document and forward your concerns to the above email address. Please CC me in on the correspondence at lisa@tembele.co.za so that the FOPNR can journal all the discrepancies and represent the community as a collective,” she said.

DA municipal ward councillor Mariette Pretorius also voiced the party’s opposition to the development, stressing the importance of early public involvement.

“It is of the utmost importance to get involved at this stage to ensure that the developers engage with us before further development,” she said.

“It is crucial that we all register. We cannot allow this eco-estate to go ahead in the Polokwane Game Reserve. This just cannot happen!” she concluded.