Independent Democrats Calls on the Government to be Transparent in its dealing with the Sensitive Pondoland Region by Lance Greyling
2004-10-20. The Independent Democrats calls on the government to be transparent and above board in its handling of the Proposed N2 Toll Road and Dune Mining in the Pondoland Region. This issue has been characterized by underhand dealings, massive conflicts of interest and very little public participation. The proposed developments for this area threaten to irrevocably change the region and it is important that all role-players and local people are involved in deciding on its future vision. This has often been stated made by Minister Van Schalkwyk, but the Independent Democrats have seen very little action to back up his sentiment.
At a meeting with the Pondoland Royal
House in July the ministerial delegation sent to meet with the Royal
Family attempted to lock out all other stakeholders from the meeting.
Due to the Royal Family's insistence, however, they failed in this task
but did ensure through the heavy-handed actions of their departmental
officials in barring the media from the event. The Independent
Democrats finds these actions completely unacceptable and against the
spirit of transparency that these issues should be dealt with.
Compounding these actions was the fact that this speech was then
circulated to members of the media at a press conference held at
Umtata. This speech, which is purported to have been given by the King
gives complete support to both the mining and the N2 Toll Road. I heard
every last word of the King's speech and not once did he ever state
that. At this meeting Minister Van Schalkwyk once again reiterated his
commitment to full public participation processes with the people of
Pondoland. It has been three months and still we see no evidence of any
such processes. Instead we hear of media walk-abouts being planned with
select members of the press and the Director General of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism. It is not the media that the government needs to
talk to, but the people of Pondoland that they need to listen to!
The Independent Democrats therefore call on the Minister to live up to his word and run such processes in a transparent and inclusive manner. I was shocked to find on my travels through the area that many residents do not even know about the Toll Road or the mining and were outspoken against it when the facts were revealed to them. It is also shocking that the feasibility study done on the dune mining in the area has not been released for public comment and even I as a Member of Parliament have struggled to get the department to release it to me. Despite that the Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy feels at liberty to claim at public forums that the study shows a win-win situation without anyone being able to challenge her.
The Independent Democrats calls for an end to this behaviour on the part of government so that we can all openly and honestly debate the future of this region.
The Independent Democrats therefore call on the Minister to live up to his word and run such processes in a transparent and inclusive manner. I was shocked to find on my travels through the area that many residents do not even know about the Toll Road or the mining and were outspoken against it when the facts were revealed to them. It is also shocking that the feasibility study done on the dune mining in the area has not been released for public comment and even I as a Member of Parliament have struggled to get the department to release it to me. Despite that the Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy feels at liberty to claim at public forums that the study shows a win-win situation without anyone being able to challenge her.
The Independent Democrats calls for an end to this behaviour on the part of government so that we can all openly and honestly debate the future of this region.
