Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to exit eco-tourism management in Isimangaliso Wetland Park
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is set to exit the management of eco-tourism functions in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park within the next twelve months.
Ezemvelo said it will now focus solely on conservation work in the wetland park going forward. The entity stated that the arrangement between it and iSimangaliso to manage the eco-tourism aspect of the park was always intended to be temporary, and they are now exiting the park.
They explained that the arrangement came about due to iSimangaliso not having the capacity to fulfil these mandates when it was established. Therefore these duties were given to Ezemvelo to run.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife CEO Sihle Mkhize said that the World Heritage Convention Act established the iSimangaliso Wetland Authority Park and appointed an authority for the park.
This authority was charged with the management mandate within Isimangaliso. He added that, in line with the regulations and the agreement signed at the time, Ezemvelo was made responsible for the management of the park.
As part of this exit, the service level agreement between Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and iSimangaliso Wetland Park will be cancelled by mutual agreement. Additionally, the hunting agreement between the two entities will be cancelled and handed back to iSimangaliso.
The management of eco-tourism facilities and income generation will be transferred from Ezemvelo to iSimangaliso within six to twelve months from the cancellation of the service level agreement.
“Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife will continue to manage conservation in the park in compliance with the World Heritage Convention Act,” he said.
He added that the coastal and marine management agreement between the two entities will remain unchanged.
Among the eco-tourism resorts that Ezemvelo has been managing and will now be exiting are Cape Vidal, Sodwana Bay, St Lucia, Maphelane/ Mkhuze/ Mantuma, and Kosi Bay.
The entity revealed that it hopes this transition will be completed by February 2026.
Ezemvelo stressed that there will be no job losses as a result of this change, revealing that many of the staff employed had been given a choice of employment and had chosen to remain with the state.
“No job losses will occur; staff will be placed in appropriate positions matched by their grading skill sets while ensuring minimal disruption to their social or personal settings. We have given staff an opportunity to be employed by the investors who will take over concessions at Isimangaliso, as they are outsourcing, but all our staff members opted to remain with the state,” he said.
He mentioned that the 100 employees will be relocated at a cost of R1.6 million, with another R1.6 million in transfer-related costs. He stated that KZN Wildlife is expecting to lose about R50 million in revenue, but this will be offset by savings on goods and services, as they have been paying for electricity, which totals around R35 million.
He added that they will be briefing the cabinet in the coming days on the matter and noted that some of their concessions were displeased with the decision.
Hannah Lidgett, MPL – DA KZN spokesperson on EDTEA, stated, “We welcome the transition of eco-tourism oversight from Ezemvelo to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. Ezemvelo has faced ongoing challenges in maintaining its infrastructure and revenue-generating sites across KwaZulu-Natal. As the DA, we have consistently advocated for commercialization strategies and public-private partnerships to enhance operational efficiency. iSimangaliso’s hands-on management approach is well-suited to uphold the standard these world-renowned facilities deserve.”
She questioned Ezemvelo on how they intend to address the revenue shortfall that will result from this shift.
“They indicated they are exploring alternative means of generating income, but they will also incur fewer costs as they will no longer have to manage the eco-tourism facilities. We also want to ensure that all staff currently employed by Ezemvelo in these functions are absorbed by iSimangaliso, and that no employment opportunities are lost in the process. Any restructuring must safeguard both jobs and the long-term sustainability of eco-tourism in the region,” she added.
Musa Mntambo, the spokesperson of Ezemvelo, confirmed the move.
“Yes, by February 28 next year, we are exiting the eco-tourism functions within Isimangaliso. We shall continue doing conservation.”