WESSA - 90 Years of People Caring for the Earth

the WESSA REPORT Reflections by K.H. Cooper

we launched into our second battle of saving Mkuzi Game Reserve back by our friends the game rangers and the Natal Parks Board. Campbell MacNeillie and I were invited to visit all the Zululand game reserves as guests of the Natal Parks Board. That opened my eyes to the great wealth and variety of flora and fauna of Zululand and later the whole Province of KwaZulu-Natal. Here was an opportunity to do something about saving it for posterity. The Wildlife Society was that opportunity. On our Wildlife Society Committee were other dedicated conservationists, namely, Ian Garland from Mtunzini, Harold Johnson from Inyoni, Mike Rattray from Mkuze (later became the owner of Mala Private Nature Reserve, adjoining the Kruger National Park), Volly van Breda of Kwambonombi, and Guy Chennels of Eshowe. WESSA produced a 16 mm film on Mkuzi Reserve and we campaigned by giving talks, showing the film and writing letters to the press as well as to the government decision- makers. We encouraged the public to join the Society (WESSA) and help save Mkuzi Reserve. Our campaign was highly successful and we saved the reserve, which is still intact today. Since then we have campaigned on many issues around nature and environmental conservation. Some of the major issues included: • Saving our existing national parks, game and nature reserves from various threats. • Expanding these areas wherever possible. • Having marine reserves proclaimed in South Africa. • Protecting all our mountain catchment areas and vital wetlands. • Producing South Africa’s first Policy and Strategy for Environmental Conservation. • Educating our leaders, and particularly our black leaders, and school teachers regarding environmental

The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) has a proud record of conservation achievements over many years. From its beginning in 1926 to today it has fought many conservation battles, saved thousands of hectares of natural land and habitat, pioneered environmental education in South Africa and involved thousands of volunteer members in hundreds of conservation projects. It could not have achieved this without the dedicated support of its members. I first joined WESSA as a junior member in 1952. I had a great interest in wild birds, I caught them, I kept them, bred and even hunted them (Guinea fowl, Francolin and Ducks). I grew up on a farm close to Pietermaritzburg, where my parents ran a successful poultry business, with the uMsunduzi River forming one of the boundaries of our farm. After I matriculated from Maritzburg College in 1954, I wanted to become a game ranger with the Natal Parks Board (known as The Natal Parks, Game and Fish Preservation Board at that time). There were no vacancies so the then Director (Col. Jack Vincent) said he would put my name on their waiting list and in the meantime I should find another job. I managed to get a position with the Standard Bank in Pietermaritzburg. Although far removed from the wilds of Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), I enjoyed my work in the bank and learnt as much as I could about banking, foreign exchange, administration of estates and trusts, and investments. After working for two and a half years in Pietermaritzburg, the bank transferred me to their new branch inMtubatuba, Zululand. This was the nearest village (with two banks, a few shops, a railway station, a post office and two hotels) for farmers, local tribal people and game rangers based at Hluhluwe, Umfolozi, St. Lucia, Mkuzi and Ndumu. Ian Player was OIC. of Umfolozi, Norman Deane of Hluhluwe, Jim Feely of Lake St. Lucia, ‘Singie’ Denyer of Mkuzi, Ken Tinley and Terry Oatley of Ndumu. Perhaps the last two were not in charge of Ndumu, but I knew them from my school days in Pietermaritzburg. I also knew Ian Player as he had undertaken his first canoe trip down the uMsunduzi River from a point on the river below our farm. While stationed at Mtubatuba, a young boy was taken by a crocodile at False Bay (part of St. Lucia Lake). This led to an outcry by some farmers, both white and black, for the extermination of all crocodiles in Zululand. A small group of conservation-minded farmers and businessmen from Empangeni, Eshowe and Mtubatuba were opposed to the eradication of all crocodiles in Zululand. They decided to form a branch of the Wildlife Society in Zululand and support the objectives of the Natal Parks Board. The branch was formed at a public meeting held at Empangeni on 25 August 1958. The first Chairman was Mr. Campbell MacNeillie, a sugar farmer from Monzi near Mtubatuba and I was invited to be the Honorary Secretary. This was the beginning of my active involvement in nature and environmental conservation. The game rangers in Zululand were delighted to have a conservation N.G.O. on their side. At that time a group of anti-conservation land-owners, north of Mtubatuba, were agitating for the deproclamation of Mkuzi Game Reserve and its transfer to local white farmers with the Wildlife Society vehemently opposed to this proposal. We won the battle against the proposed extermination of all crocodiles in Zululand and

• Campaigning against land, water and air degradation and supporting rehabilitation, restoration, renewal and recycling. • Preventing mining and inappropriate development in key areas of high conservation value. (In this connection WESSA was instrumental in stopping the mining of coking coal in the Kruger National Park, stopping the mining of heavy minerals along the Zululand coast from Cape St. Lucia to the Mozambican border). This also led to the proclamation of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park as the iSimangaliso World Heritage Site. WESSA has also prevented heavy mineral mining on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape Province. • The Fieldwork Section started by Kosta Babich in 1962 did great work for the Society but alas, that is now all gone. • The purchase of Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve by the Natal Branch in the 70’s. • The inheritance of Ben Lavin Nature Reserve by Transvaal Branch. Unfortunately, this was lost in a land claim.The establishment of the first ‘Conservancy’ in South Africa and many more since then. • Initiating the Mondi Wetlands Programme (initially Rennies Wetlands Programme) in conjunction with the WWF and Natal Parks Board. • Campaigning against the deproclamation of a large and vital section of the Etosha Game Reserve in Namibia (formerly South West Africa). WESSA produced a special report on this which was published as a supplement to African Wildlife (volume 25 no. 1), 1971. • Campaigning for the creation of a Pondoland Wild Coast National Park or World Heritage Site – on going. ••• Publications For 62 years WESSA published African Wildlife that achieved a great milestone in its own right. This publication was incorporated into a new magazine entitled Environment – People and Conservation in Africa. The Society still produces a junior magazine entitled EnviroKids. Several of the Society Branches also produced their own magazines and/or newsletters. The history of WESSA was published in a large format book entitled The Conservationists and the Killers by John Pringle in 1982. So, what started as a hobby and volunteer involvement became my full-time career in 1972. Through my interest in nature and my attachment to the Wildlife Society for the last 60 years, I have met many fine South Africans and seen a great number of beautiful natural areas. I hope and pray that future generations will also develop a strong interest and devotion to South Africa’s natural resources and beautiful natural areas in particular. Since these things cannot speak for themselves they need a strong voice to speak on their behalf. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing better for man to put his energy into than saving our natural environment for the benefit of future generations. Just do it with all your heart and love. First committee meeting of the Zululand Branch of the Wildlife Society of SA, 1958

conservation (ACE and other courses). • Taking the State to the High Court in Umtata (Transkei) as a result of the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Eastern Cape Government failing to stop the proliferation of illegal cottages on the Wild Coast (previously under the Transkei Government) of the Eastern Cape. Here we won a major battle as well as creating a first ever legal precedent giving WESSA locus standi in litigating on behalf of the environment. • Expanding our network of branches, centres and Friends Groups throughout South Africa. • Developing a strong environmental education component at all levels of society. • Promoting urban conservation in our towns and cities (WESSA initiated the Metropolital Open Space System programme). Committee of the Wildlife Society of SA (Natal Branch), 1970

16 | 90 years of people caring for the earth

17 | 90 years of people caring for the earth