Mpumalanga premier Mandla Ndlovu has stepped in to mediate a dispute between Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment Dr Dion George and economic development and tourism MEC Makhosazana Masilela following a contentious visit to the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains World Heritage Site (BBM-WHS).
The tension stems from a fact-finding mission last Sunday and Monday, where George toured the heritage site with Masilela and her officials.
However, on Monday, George held a private meeting with landowners — most of whom are white — without notifying Masilela or inviting other provincial representatives.
This exclusion sparked allegations of racial discrimination and procedural disregard.
Deputy director-general also excluded
Adding to the controversy was the apparent exclusion of the acting deputy director-general of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment, Sydney Nkosi, who was reportedly blocked from attending the meeting.
Nkosi is said to have represented the national department during the visit.
Ndlovu has committed to resolving the matter through intergovernmental dialogue.
“We have a unitary state in South Africa with decentralised powers and mandates, yet serving the same citizens who look up to the government to serve them,” said Ndlovu.
“Any divergent views must be dealt with in terms of intergovernmental relations and established protocols.”
He assured that he would bring the parties together soon to address the misunderstanding and ensure cohesion between national and provincial governance structures.
Scathing media statement
The controversy escalated further after Masilela issued a scathing media statement condemning George’s actions.
“He did not even have the courtesy to at least inform me of his last-minute decision,” said Masilela.
Masilela expressed frustration over being excluded from the meeting, which she described as racially divisive.
She asked: “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?”
In response to the allegations, George expressed disappointment over the public nature of the grievances.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Meeting was private
When asked about the deputy director-general’s exclusion, George declined to provide further clarification.
Departmental spokesperson Peter Mbelengwa stated: “The meeting took place on 11 November and was a private one between the minister and the landowners.
“The minister will not be providing any other comments on the matter beyond the aforementioned facts.”
Nkosi directed media questions to the department spokesperson.
As tensions simmer, all eyes are on Ndlovu’s efforts to mediate and restore harmony within the provincial and national leadership structures.
