The planned multi-million-rand Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone faces court action over concerns regarding its impact on the environment and sacred spiritual sites in the Vhembe region of Limpopo.
The matter, which was set to be heard in the Polokwane High Court this week, will now sit next month. The major component of the special economic zone is a new steel and metallurgical cluster largely financed by Chinese developers. Lobby groups argue that this coal-based project will take South Africa down a dangerous developmental path.
The applicants, The Herd Nature Reserve, Living Limpopo and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies argue that the Limpopo economic authorities are following a dubious approach known as “project splitting”.
“From the onset, the process for this development has been fatally flawed. We have therefore approached the high court to review and set aside the environmental authorisation and instead uphold our appeal,” Living Limpopo director Lauren Liebenberg-Southworth told Sunday World.
“We argue that the EIA (environmental impact assessment) appeal and public participation processes needed to be more procedurally fair and properly consider the impacts on, among other things, climate change and water security.
“This will seriously jeopardise our greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments, with significant economic and political consequences for the country,” she said.
The matter has pitted environmental rights organisations, farmers, cultural organisations and the government which cites the special economic zone as a significant development project that will bring jobs and boost the Limpopo economy.
“The area where they plan to establish the special economic zone is a sacred place that keeps the Vhembe region alive. The destruction of graves and removal of sacred tree species will collapse the spirituality of this region,” said Mphatheleni Makaulule of the cultural organisation Dzomo la Mupo.
“The so-called developments will disturb the peace of ancient ancestors, and many lives will be negatively affected.
“This will also have a destructive impact on the environment while the economic spin-offs they talk about are not guaranteed.
“I suggest they stop whatever they are doing there,” Makaulule told Sunday World.
Since its launch, the special economic zone has been surrounded by controversy after the provincial government granted the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (Leda) permission to remove 658, 058 protected trees for the remainder of the development.
Phuluso Tshidzuma, the executive director of Save our Limpopo Valley, also said the project is a threat to people’s indigenous heritage, and will also have dire environmental consequences.
Local community members also decried that they were not properly consulted about the planned development.
Cattle farmer Murendeni Mathivha said the area is grazing land for livestock.
“But now our animals are facing a bleak future because of this government project,” he said.
Leda spokesperson Zaid Kalla said the special economic zone will promote industrialisation, support enterprise development, facilitate investment and create jobs.
“Our efforts and commitment have thus far attracted positive interest from key local, national and international partners and stakeholders,” Kalla said.
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba took a swipe at the advocacy groups during a debate of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s annual address to the National Council of Provinces.
“The allegations that we are going to destroy endangered trees like the baobabs is a fallacy which we must collectively dispel. All protected species will be treated in accordance with the environmental impact assessment certificate,” Ramathuba said.
An EIA report issued, in February 2021 by Delta Built Environment Consultants, did not recommend the authorisation of the new developments on the special economic zone.
Despite this, the provincial government proceeded to appoint another environmental assessment practitioner to issue a revised final EIA in September 2021, which paved the way for the authorisation of the initiative in February 2022.
