Ipaki Yesizwe eRichtersveld

Okuyingqayizivele Futhi Ongenakulibaleka

©Jacques Marais

Umhlaba we-Richtersveld uhlukile futhi awukhohlwa. Ubuhle bayo obungenalutho bungase bungathakazelisa njezindawo ezise Ntshonalanga Kapa noma e-Garden Route, kodwa ubukhulu bayo obukhulu bungabonakaliswa engqondweni yabo bonke abavakashi.
Ngokujabulisayo, lesi simiso esiyigugu futhi esiyinkimbinkimbi manje sigcinwa ezindaweni eziningana zokulondoloza.
Ukuzama kokuqala ukuvikela ogwadule olumangalisayo lwezintaba kanye nezitshalo zalo ezingavamile kwaqala ngo-1975, lapho iBhodi yamaPhakheji kazwelonke yavuma ukuphenya ukwakhiwa kwepaki kazwelonke engxenyeni esenyakatho yeRichtersveld.
Noma kunjalo, lokhu kwakuyisizwe somphakathi esingazange sithengwe, sihanjiswe noma sinikezwe ngenye indlela. Kwathatha iminyaka engaba amashumi amabili engxoxweni nomkhandlu wendawo ukuze kufinyelelwe isivumelwano.

Ukubandlulula Kakhulu

©David Fleminger

Ngo-1989, kwasungulwa isivumelwano. Khona-ke, njengoba nje ipaki lalizodinga ukumenyezelwa, iqembu elivela 'eKomidini Yomphakathi' lafaka umyalo oncikene nenqubo yonke. Ngokusho kwabo, umkhandlu ‘wawungamele amalungu wonke ngokulingene futhi uyimpoqamandla' futhi umphakathi awuzange unikezwe ithuba lokufaka imbono.
Eqinisweni, imigomo yesivumelwano sokuqala yayibandlulula kakhulu kubantu bendawo. Ukuqashiswa kweminyaka engamashumi ayaisishiyagalolunye nasishiyagalo lunye kuthiwa yonke imfuyo kufanele isuswe epaki, ayikho imithombo (izitshalo noma amanzi) engasetshenziswa futhi kwakungekho ukuqinisekiswa komsebenzi kumalungu omphakathi.
Ngamanye amazwi, ukusungulwa kwepaki bekuyokhipha ngokuphelele abantu bendawo kusuka ezweni abahlala kulo iminyaka engaphezu kwenkulungwane ezimbili. Kwaba sengathi iBhodi yamaPaki yayifuna ukusindisa umhlaba kubantu bakuleyo ndawo esikhundleni somphakathi.

Ingxenye Ebalulekile Yohlelo Lwendawo

©David Fleminger

Umkhosi wokusayina usuhlehlisiwe futhi uchungechunge lwemihlangano lwaluqhutshwa nawo wonke amaqembu athintekayo. Phakathi nalolu hlelo, iBhodi yamaPaki yaqaphela ukuthi umphakathi wendawo wawuyingxenye ebalulekile kunomayimuphi umgomo wokulondolozwa kwemvelo, ngokuphathwa kwemvelo, ubunikazi ngisho nezivakashi.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, esimweni seRichtersveld, abantu bendabuko babe yingxenye ebalulekile yohlelo lwendawo futhi indlela yabo yokuphila yendabuko yayisengcupheni njengensobonsobo ezingavamile.
Ikhontilaka entsha kamuva ibhaliwe nemigomo engakhethi. Ukuqashiswa kwehliswa kwaba yiminyaka engamashumi amathathu, amalungelo okhaphelo abantu bendawo avunyelwe (ngokuhambisana nomkhawulo wemfuyu ezingu6600 ezincane), ukutholakala kwemithombo yemvelo ngaphakathi epaki kwakuvunyelwa ngokufanayo, futhi inani elithile lemisebenzi ligcinelwe abantu bendawo.
Njengoba lesi sivumelwano sisekhona, ikomidi lokuphatha enihlangene lasungulwa ukuqhuba ipaki futhi ikhontilaka yasayinwa ngoJulayi 1991. Leli yili khontilaka lokuqala lokuzivumelanisa kwepaki eNingizimu Afrika (umhlaba ozimele, olawulwa ngokuhlanganyela yinhodi lepaki nomphakathi wendawo). Kamuva, le ndlela yasetshenziselwa ukuxazulula udaba lomhlabathi kwamanye amapaki, njengendawo ye-Makuleke ngaphakathi kweKruger National Park.

Imvelo Engenakuphazanyiswa

Noma kunjalo, i-Rittersveld National Park (RNP) engama hectare angu162 000 esanda kusungulwa yayinemigoxiigoxi ngempela. Imigwaqo yayingekho, indawo zokuhlala zazingamangaisi futhi ihlane lalibusa kakhulu.
Umuntu owayefuna ngempela ukuhamba asuke kuzo zonke izinto, ubezojabula kakhulu, kwakuyizulu. Ngeshwa, indawo enqanyuliwe kangaka ezweni lanamuhla, kwakukhona izikhalo ezithile ezivela emphakathini wendawo. Lokhu kuhloswe ikakhulukazi ngokubhaliswa kwabelusi (imindeni engamashumi amabili nashiyagalombili kuphela ibivunyelwe epaki lapho iqala) nokuqokwa kwamalungu abasebenzi.
Namuhla, noma kunjalo, izinto zixazululwe kakhulu. Umphakathi usukele ukwamukela ipaki emnyango wabo. Indawo yokuhlala inesakhiwo esibucayi sezindawo zokugeza. Imigwaqo ithuthukisiwe kakhulu (nakuba i-4x4 isanconywa).
Futhi kunamadokodo amaningana namakamu atholakalayo. Lokhu kuyimbangela yokucindezeleka kwababethanda isikhathi esidala, abangaphuthelwa ipaki ebuswa ihlane, kodwa izivakashi eziningi ziyojabula kakhulu ngokuhlanganiswa kwamanje okuhambisana nokwengezwa ukuze abantu banethezeke.

Translated by Nsika Khoza