Fishermen protest in Mtuba
FISHERMEN from the Nkundusi and Kwanibela communities in uMkhanyakude District took to Mtubatuba’s streets on Monday in protest against their treatment by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) officers. About 50 fishermen participated in the march which culminated in Lindani Ngubane, march convener and Chair of Coastal Links KZN, handing their memorandum to EKZNW CEO Dr Bandile …
FISHERMEN from the Nkundusi and Kwanibela communities in uMkhanyakude District took to Mtubatuba’s streets on Monday in protest against their treatment by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) officers.
About 50 fishermen participated in the march which culminated in Lindani Ngubane, march convener and Chair of Coastal Links KZN, handing their memorandum to EKZNW CEO Dr Bandile Mkhize.
Grievances include the communities wanting permits to fish and sell their catches, government adoption of the small scale fisheries policy and for EKZNW officers to stop confiscating and destroying their gill nets and rudimentary boats.
Listening intently to the fishermen’s grievances and signing the memorandum in acknowledgement of receipt, Mkhize understood poverty and unemployment to be at the heart of the issue.
‘Some complaints are legitimate. We can’t allow our officers to assault anyone, even if they are just doing their job and protecting the environment,’ said Mkhize when asked for his thoughts on the memorandum.
‘These days, conservation is not only about wildlife, it’s about finding the balance between communities and wildlife.
‘These people don’t understand protecting wildlife for tomorrow when they are hungry today. An empty stomach knows no boundaries.’
Mkhize went on to say that, as poverty is central to the fishermen’s grievances, EKZNW is committed to finding alternative means of employment and will contribute to alleviating poverty in the area.
Uncontrolled fishing and selling of what should be sustainable catches are not environmentally viable, but the conservation authority could provide alternative means of employment such as the absorption of the communities’ youth into the Rhino Ambassador programme.
Mkhize noted that, as the fishermen are fishing in the St Lucia Estuary, EKZNW and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority (IWPA) must work together on this issue.
Ngubane said he was, ‘very happy with the turnout for the march. We are also happy the CEO came himself to listen to the communities’ grievances. I think we can move forward from here.’
Coastal Links South Africa is a community-based organisation representing more than 4 000 small scale fishermen in all four coastal provinces of the country.
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