KZN Rhino Watch - Latest News

Following a healthy turnout for the march against rhino poaching in Hluhluwe on Saturday, 13 October, KZN Rhino Watch reported another poached rhino in the north of the HluhluweImfolozi Game Reserve.
The carcass was discovered by Kyle Shuttleworth, a King Shaka Aviation Pilot based in the game reserve, and was in the same region of the park where seven rhinos were poached during the Heritage Day long weekend. The most recent poaching was thought to have occurred during the march in Hluhluwe town.
Bringing the plight even closer to home, two rhino carcasses were found in iSimangaliso's Western Shores last weekend.

13 October Rhino March - courtesy of KZN Rhino Watch

According to recent data released by the government, KZN has suffered the loss of 55 rhino so far this year, compared with 2011's total of 34. The good news, however, is that in the three weeks since KZN Rhino Watch's inception, a grand total of R824 760 has been raised and pledged. These funds help keep the helicopter in the sky above HluhluweImfolozi Game Reserve.

The helicopter project was experimentally implemented late 2011 and it has proven to be the most effective method of anti poaching. The project stalled for a few months this year due to a lack of funding, however, as can now be seen, donations are coming in from around the province.

St Lucia Tap Water - No Contamination

Rumours are circulating St Lucia that the E. coli bacteria has been found in the town's tap water. St Lucia News has been in contact with both Gawie Dipennaar, who oversees the town's water supply, and Rudi Redinger, Chairperson of the St Lucia Ratepayers' Forum, in order to verify these rumours. At the time of publication Mr Dipennaar had not been notified by the water suppliers of possible contamination in the town's tap water. Mr Redinger, who is in regular contact with the water pumpers, said that it is required practise for the chlorine levels following a water outage to be higher than normal in order to eliminate any possibility of contamination. Mr Redinger confirmed this evening, 7 October, that, while the water colour may be unsightly, the chlorine in the water being pumped into St Lucia's reservoir is at the correct level to ensure no risk of contamination.

This news follows an intermittent water supply from Thursday 4 October until Saturday evening, 6 October, as the result of a broken 400mm pipe by an excavator.

Somkhele Mine Strike Turns Violent

It has been reported that the strike at Somkhele anthracite mine turned violent on Monday night when a security guard was killed. 

The 48 year old security guard was on duty on Monday night when he was confronted by a group of men carrying bush knives. Witnesses say he was unable to outrun his killers. Police have stated that his service pistol was stolen. According to management at Somkhele Mine, the family of the deceased is being looked after financially by the company. Suspects - allegedly striking miners - have been arrested and their imminent appearance in court is expected.

Workers at Somkhele mine started striking last week and, as per strikes taking place elsewhere in South Africa, they are demanding a salary of between R10 000 and R15 000 per month (they currently earn between R4000 and R6000 per month). Sandton Plant Hire (SPH), the contractor said to employ the striking miners, has obtained a court interdict deeming the strike illegal and has been given permission to take "any legal steps necessary" to resolve the situation. Disciplinary action may include dismissal but in the meantime SPH is encouraging the striking miners to get back to work and make use of the appropriate channels in order to air their grievances.

St Lucia residents are urged to be vigilant when travelling past Somkhele mine.

Black Rhino Poached in iSimangaliso Wetland Park

iSimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) suffered the loss of an adult male black rhino through poaching on 3 September. The dehorned carcass was found in the Ozabeni section of the wetland park within 24 hours of it being poached.

The park authority is "outraged" at the crime and plans to follow in Limpopo province's footsteps by offering a reward of R100 000 to any member of the public able to provide sufficient evidence leading to the conviction of the poacher/s. Perhaps this will encourage the park authority to spend the monies raised through recent fund raising events on the prevention of poaching and the protection of the park's rhino population, thus preventing the need for the offering of such large sums as reward after the fact.

Although tragic, it must be said that this is only the second rhino poached in the wetland park in two years and while some may say that two is two too many, most of the country's other large reserves have suffered far greater losses.

Flooding Umfolozi Flows into St Lucia Estuary

St Lucia Estuary, to which many scientists in South Africa have been paying very close attention over the past year, has today been the recipient of excess water from the flooding Umfolozi River.

Channel providing Umfolozi River a way to enter estuary

Since Spring 2011 conservationists have been trying to open the mouth of St Lucia estuary in order for the estuarine system to revert to as close to its natural state as possible. Earlier this year, after Tropical Cyclone Irina failed to re-open the estuary mouth, KZN Wildlife employed the use of earth moving equipment to dig a channel for the Umfolozi River to flow into the estuary during times of flood. Following a week of heavy rain throughout KZN, it is this channel through which today's deluge is feeding the estuary.


Archive photo: taken 8 July & provided by Dennis King

St Lucia Water Restrictions: Effective Immediately

This morning, 28 August, the St Lucia Ratepayers Association was informed by the municipality that St Lucia will be under water restrictions with immediate effect, due to the "prolonged drought".  

As from today, the St Lucia Community will have no running water from 10h00 to 15h00 everyday, and no knowledge of when the restrictions will be lifted.

St Lucia Hippo Attack Victim Returns Home

Anthony Swatton, the St Lucia resident who was severely injured when attacked by a hippo on his property in July, returned home from hospital on Friday, 17 August.

According to local sources, Swatton appears to be in good spirits and is happy to be home, although he needs to travel to the hospital in Richards Bay every three days in order to have dressings changed and for the doctors to continue monitoring his progress.

Further to the successful Car Wash Fundraiser, which far exceeded all expectations for funds raised, Candace Edgar and her volunteers held a dinner/dance fundraiser on Saturday night, 18 August, at Zulani Guesthouse.  It was a fun filled evening during which two raffles were held; a gift basket and a scrapbook packet.  Support was overwhelming and sales from the dinner and raffles go to Anthony Swatton's recovery.