Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment Dr Dion George has rejected accusations of racial segregation made by Mpumalanga MEC of Economic Development and Tourism, Makhosazane Masilela, during his recent site visit to the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains World Heritage Site.
In a statement on Monday, Masilela voiced concern over George’s decision to meet with stakeholders at two separate venues, which she said was racially motivated.
"I am totally disappointed by the minister's unilateral decision to meet the two groups of stakeholders in separate venues,” Masilela said.
“As the host province, we were requested by the minister to arrange an engagement with the two groups of stakeholders at one venue, and we had arranged to meet at the Barberton Museum.”
Masilela said she was taken aback when she learnt that George met with Barberton Tourism and Biodiversity Corridor (BATOBIC) at a private venue owned by one of its members without letting her know.
“I was with him for the better part of yesterday, when he toured the geo-sites at the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains World Heritage Site, but he never bothered to inform me about such a decision,” Masilela said.
“I, as well as the executive mayors of Ehlanzeni and Gert Sibande district municipalities, and the speaker of the City of Mbombela, were not even invited to that private meeting, which to me, bordered along racial lines.”
“Why should he meet people with a different skin colour privately, and even at a guest house belonging to one of them, when the arrangement was that all stakeholders will be met at the Barberton Museum? Is he not perpetuating racial segregation in this way?" Masilela asked.
Masilela said she plans to ask Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu to raise this matter with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“It cannot be that a national leader comes to our province and does not recognise us, as local leaders. We will not accept that our people should be treated differently, when we are one nation,” Masilela added.
In response, the spokesperson for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment, Thobile Zulu-Molobi refuted the allegations of racial segregation levelled against George, stating that they are “false and inaccurate”.
Zulu-Molobi argued that George met with the community and private landowners of BBM-WHS at an independent venue, but not BATOBIC.
“The Minister met with the MEC (Masilela) and Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at Environment House in Pretoria on the issue of BBM-WHS, which is when it was agreed that he should conduct a site visit and stakeholder engagement.”
George voiced disappointment that Masilela had aired her grievances publicly, instead of addressing them directly with him.
“I invite MEC Masilela to meet with me and to address her grievances directly to me,” George said.
“I believe in the founding principles of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, including non-racialism and unequivocally reject the inference made to race-related politics made by Masilela,” he said.
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