The illegal invasion is reported to have started on the 21 March 2022 wherein some ring leaders
mobilised people to meet in the morning and move into the Futululu Forest and start dividing the
land amongst themselves. Since the start of these illegal activities, the Park Authority has held
several meetings with community leaders in an attempt to find an amicable solution. Meetings
involved structures such as Traditional Authority leadership, Municipal ward counselors, land
claimants’ leadership, Dukuduku re-settlement trust committee, farmers’ representatives, and
representatives from People and Parks structure, amongst others. The iSimangaliso and Ezemvelo
KZN Wildlife jointly briefed the leadership about the Futululu land invasion and made it clear to the
leadership that such invasion is unlawful. The leadership was requested to warn their respective
communities about the implications of their actions. The leadership was further informed that
iSimangaliso and Ezemvelo will seek legal opinion that may lead to the arrest of individual
instigators.
ISimangaliso applauds the action taken by the local traditional leader Inkosi Mkhwanazi who called a
meeting of the entire Dukuduku community to address this matter, Inkosi wanted to listen to all the
sides of the story from involved parties. Such interventions by the leaders are most welcomed as
iSimangaliso believes that the relationship built with the community and continuous engagements
through meetings that it always holds with the communities surrounding the Park should be used as
platforms for engagement and raising any issues of concerns from both sides. Invasion of land by the
community as means of drawing attention of iSimangaliso to any concerns of the community cannot
be condoned. iSimangaliso has a dedicated stakeholder engagement unit whose primary focus is to
engage with all stakeholders especially with the local communities neighbouring iSimangaliso.
