Minister Creecy to launch report on the scientific basis for breaching the mouth of Lake St.Lucia Estuary
25 April 2022
iSimangalisoWetlandParkAuthorityinviteallmediaontheeventwheretheMinisterofForestry,FisheriesandtheEnvironment,MsBarbaraCreecy,willlaunchthereportbyaPanelofExpertswhichreviewedthescientificbasisforbreachingthemouthoftheLakeSt.LuciaEstuaryattheSt.LuciaEcoLodgeonThursday,28 April 2022.
Earlierthismonth,MinisterCreecyreceivedthereportandhasstudiedthefindingsandrecommendationscontainedinthereport.ThereleaseofthereporttothemediawillhappenaheadofaWorkshoponPanelReportforallstakeholdersandmembersofthePortfolioCommitteeonForestry,FisheriesandtheEnvironment.InJanuary2021themultidisciplinaryandmultisectoralTaskTeamrecommendedtoiSimangalisothatthesystemneededbreachingasashortterminterventiontoaddressecologicalchallengesoftheestuary.Thehopewasthatintheprocessthesocialandeconomicchallengesraisedbyvariousstakeholderswerealsogoingtobeaddressed.Unfortunately,themouthclosedagainnaturallyafterabout6monthsofbeingopened.
TherecommendationofthesymposiumandopeningofthemouthwaslateropposedbyanotherinterestgroupwhowrotetoMinisterofForestry,Fisheries,andtheEnvironment,MsBarbaraCreecyairingtheirdiscernmentofthedecision.Ministerappointedapanelofexpertstoinvestigateandsubmitthereporttoher.ThereporthasrecentlybeensubmittedtotheMinisterandshewasstudyingthefindingsandtherecommendationscontainedinthereportandwillmakethereportanditsrecommendationspublicduringhervisit,withanunderstandingthattheissueofthemouthiniSimangalisohasbeeninconsultationwithawiderangeofstakeholders,includingkeyscientificexperts,tourismoperators,conservationmanagers,NGOs,ruralcommunityrepresentatives,fishers,farmers,andbusinessowners.
On14April2022,lakeStLuciamouthbreachednaturallywhichwastomuchreliefofsomanystakeholders.ThehighlevelsofwaterpushingfromUmfoloziandMsunduziriversmadeitpossibleforthemouthtobreachnaturally.ThiscameafterhighlevelsofrainreceivedinKwaZuluNatalinthepastfewweekshaveservedasacatalystinresolvingtheissueofthemouth.MinisterwillvisitSt.Lucia
Mediaareinvitedtoattendandcoverthelaunchofthereportasfollows:
Date: Thursday,28 April 2022
Time:10:00
Venue:StLuciaEcoLodge(Alinkforvirtualparticipationwillbeissuedatalaterstage).
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-End- Statement issued by iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority Media enquires: MLO: Mr. Bheki Manzini Call/WhatsApp: 060 533 2082 Email: