Fresh cracks in the government of national unity (GNU) have emerged at the provincial level following Minister Dion George’s visit to Mpumalanga on Sunday and Monday.
George, the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries, arrived to assess developmental issues at the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains World Heritage Site (BMMWHS), but his approach has sparked concerns of racial bias.
Mpumalanga’s MEC for economic development and tourism, Makhosazane Masilela, expressed deep disappointment upon learning that George held separate meetings with stakeholders at distinct venues, allegedly based on their affiliations on Monday.
Tensions rose as George allegedly met with members of the Barberton Tourism and Biodiversity Corridor (Babotic) privately on Monday.
Babotic, a programme initiated by the Barberton Chamber of Business and funded by the national department of tourism, aims to merge tourism development with biodiversity conservation to boost local economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Unilateral decision
“I am totally disappointed by the minister’s unilateral decision to meet the two groups of stakeholders in separate venues.
“As the host province, we were requested by the minister to arrange an engagement with the two groups of stakeholders at one venue, and we had arranged to meet at the Barberton Museum,” Masilela said.
“However, I was taken aback when I learnt this morning that the minister has decided to meet Babotic at a private venue owned by one of the members. He did not even have the courtesy to, at least, inform me of his last-minute decision.”
Masilela was further dismayed that George had not informed her of the change in arrangements.
“I was with him for the better part of yesterday, when he toured the geo-sites at the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains World Heritage Site, but he never bothered to inform me about such a decision,” she added.
“I, as well as the executive mayors of Ehlanzeni and Gert Sibande District Municipalities and the Speaker of the City of Mbombela, were not even invited to that private meeting, which to me bordered along racial lines.”
She went on to question if this separation was racially motivated.
“Why should he meet people with a different skin colour privately and even at a guest house belonging to one of them when the arrangement was that all stakeholders would be met at the Barberton Museum? Is he not perpetuating racial segregation in this way?”
This controversy follows previous concerns raised by Babotic regarding management practices at the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency and development initiatives within the heritage site.
George’s visit, initially intended to promote unity and collaboration, seems to have deepened divisions, highlighting tensions between national and provincial leadership.
The MEC has decided to escalate her concerns and intends to ask Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu to address the issue directly with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Balancing national and provincial interests
“We cannot accept that a national leader comes to our province and does not recognise us as local leaders.
“We will not accept that our people should be treated differently when we are one nation,” Masilela stated.
As tensions around the development of Barberton-MMWHS persist, Masilela reaffirmed her department’s commitment to fair representation and inclusivity.
“We will leave no one behind as we develop this tourism route as a new catalyst for tourism growth and job creation in our province,” said Masilela
The MEC’s stance highlights a broader challenge for the GNU in balancing national and provincial interests, with racial tensions adding complexity to the dialogue.
Barberton Chamber of Business president Nico Oosthuisen declined to comment on the matter, referring questions to the minister’s office.
In response to the allegations, George denied meeting with the Babotic structure but stated he met “community members and private landowners of the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains World Heritage Site at “an independent venue.”
George expressed his disappointment over the public manner in which the grievances were aired.
“It is unfortunate that MEC Masilela chose to air her grievances about my trip in the public domain, as I believe that only takes away from the real issues at BBM-WHS.”
The minister further clarified that his primary goal was to address longstanding management concerns at the heritage site.
George also emphasised his commitment to finding constructive solutions.
“I visited the site on Sunday and was deeply saddened at the state of the site and its clear mismanagement. I am committed to finding a solution for the community.”
He invited MEC Masilela to meet directly to discuss her concerns, reinforcing his dedication to fostering cooperation over division.
My concern is the absence of a line of direct communication between the national and provincial leadership which has eventually led to the whole confusion about plans afoot for the World Heritage Site, not a local nor a regional site. This is no time to claim ownership because it’s been many years the declaration was pronounced, it’s only now that authorities are moving in the right direction. My advice is that all factfinding and deliberations should be attended together inorder for the leadership to have the same view. Separation development gave birth to apartheid in the past, let’s not go back there and there should be no cry babies at this stage. The task is simple: assemble people with clear knowledge of what Makhonjwa Mountains requires to sustain its existence and create those much needed jobs in the process of attracting numerous tourists to the area and better the incentives of the Makhonjwa Mountains Marathon which currently is at R15 000 which in all honesty, cannot attract international athletes of note.