TFCAs in South Africa

There are currently six Transfrontier Conservation Areas in South Africa, many in different stages of implementation and with the Peace Parks Foundation involved as a supporting force.

(cf. peaceparks 2008 c)

I. |Ai-|Ais/ Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (Namibia/ South Africa)¹⁰

On 17 August 2001 the governments of Namibia and South Africa signed a MoU to merge the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa and the |Ai-|Ais/ Huns National Park in Namibia into one common nature reserve. (cf. Hanks 2001: 10) On 1 August 2003 the presidents of Namibia and South Africa signed the International Treaty, which made it possible to

10 For a comprehensive analysis of the |Ai-|Ais/ Richtersveld Transfrontier Park with a special focus on community participation see Myburgh 2003.

(ill. 2: Transfrontier Conservation Areas identified within the SADC-Region. From: mapsppf

officially open the |Ai-|Ais/ Richtersveld Transfrontier Park as South Africa’s third Transfrontier Park. This Transfrontier Park is one of South Africa’s particularities of nature with a dry desert, an enormous mountain range and the world’s second largest canyon, the Fish River Canyon, on its 6 045 km² of land. (cf. peaceparks 2008 d)

II. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (Botswana/ South Africa)

On 12 May 2000 the presidents of Botswana and South Africa officially opened the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP), Africa’s first Peace Park. The KTP unites the 28 400 km² large Gemsbok National Park in Botswana and the 9 591 km² large Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa. Based on a verbal agreement between the two countries the park de facto already exists since 1948. There were no border fences but also no common management of this semiarid desert of the Kalahari. The opening of this park was considered as a model case for the development of TFCAs in Africa. (cf. Hanks 2001: 3) Chapter 5 will go into more detail.

III. Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (Mozambique/ Zimbabwe/ South Africa)¹¹ The “flagship” of TFCAs, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) was proclaimed on 9 December 2002 by the signing of the International Treaty by the presidents of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. This made the GLTP Africa’s second Peace Park. In the first phase of the development of this now 35 000 km² large area, the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, the Krüger National Parks in South Africa (which was opened on 31 May 1926 as Africa’s first national park), the Gonarezhou National Parks, the Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and the Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe were combined. In addition, two areas between the Krüger National Park and the Gonarezhou National Park were included in the GLTP. These areas were the Sengwe Communal Land in Zimbabwe and the Makuleke Region¹² in South Africa. During the planned second phase of enlargement of the GLTP the integration of the Banhine National Park, the Zinave National Park and the Massingir- and Corumana lands in Mozambique should take place. The total area of the park should then reach almost 100 000 km² and become “The World’s Greatest Animal Kingdom“.(cf. peaceparks 2008 e)

11 Additional literature on the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park siehe: Hofstatter 2005/ Spencley 2005 and a documentation by Arte: Big-game hunting in the Krüger Park 2003.

12 The Makuleke Community was driven from its land in 1969. The land was then incorporated into the Krüger National Park. They could get some of the land back through a land claim. This land is now part of the GLTP.

Additional literature on the Makuleke Community: PLAAS 2005

IV. Limpopo/ Shashe TFCA (Botswana/ Zimbabwe/ South Africa)

The planned Limpopo/ Shashe TFCA, with the confluence of the two major rivers Limpopo and Shashe at its centre, will cover 4 872 km² in Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. A big challenge of implementing this TFCA is the complex ownership structure of the land in question. In South Africa the area is partially owned by the state and by private individuals. In Botswana the land, which includes the Tuli Block Game Reserve and livestock farms as well as wild animal farms, is entirely private property. In Zimbabwe the area is split up between communal lands, privately owned farms for livestock and wild animals and a safari-area owned by the state. (cf. Hanks 1998: 138) On 22 June 2006 the three governments signed a MoU, which clearly reflects their intention to establish the Transfrontier Park. (cf. peaceparks 2008 f).

V. Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area (Mozambique/

Swaziland/ South Africa)

The situation of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area is special and challenging at the same time as five different TFCA projects shall be combined: the Lubombo Conservancy- Goba TFCA between Mozambique and Swaziland, the Usuthu-Tembe-Futi TFCA between Swaziland, South Africa and Mozambique, the Ponta do Ouro-Kosi Bay TFCA between Mozambique and South Africa, the Nsubane-Pongola TFCA between South Africa and Swaziland and the Songimvelo-Malolotja TFCA, also between South Africa and Swaziland.

On 22 July 2000 five different protocols were signed by the three participating governments, affecting those five TFCAs. These protocols are the basis for further negotiations to make the 4 195 km² large Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area possible. (cf.

peaceparks 2008 g)

VI. Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area (Lesotho/

South Africa)

On 11 July 2001 the governments of the Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa signed a MoU to establish the 13 000 km² large Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area, which will include the uKhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage Site.

The Drakensberg forms the most elevated region of South Africa and features the largest and most concentrated accumulation of petrographs in sub-Saharan Africa. Among others, the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area contain the Sehlaba- Thebe National Park in Lesotho and the uKhahlamba Park in KwaZulu-Natal. (cf. peaceparks