Golden Gate Highlands National Park Stakeholder Engagement Report

Golden Gate Highlands National Park STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION REPORT – Stakeholder participation report PARK NATIONALGOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS 2020 1 Table of contents No. Index Page Prelude 3 Introduction 4 1 Background 4 2 Stakeholder participation strategy 4 2.1 Stakeholder engagement objectives 4 2.2 Approach 4 3 Stakeholder engagement process 5 4 Stakeholder identification, registration and meetings 5 4.1 Media platforms used to invite stakeholders to register and participate 5 4.2 Documentation dissemination 6 4.3 Public information sessions on Draft Management Plan 6 5 Stakeholder comments / inputs 7 2 Prelude This report is the accompanying stakeholder participation report to the revised park management plan of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP). The report includes the comments received from stakeholders on the draft park management plan released for public comment on 27 January 2020. This report is submitted with the revised park management plan of GGHNP to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) for technical review. For further information please contact: André Spies Manager: Park Planning Postal address: P.O. Box 787, Pretoria, 0001 Tel: 012 426 5285 Email: [email protected] STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION REPORT – PARK NATIONALGOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS 3 Introduction 1. Background In compliance with the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act No. 57 of 2003)(NEM: PAA), SANParks has initiated a process to revise the Park Management Plan of the GGHNP. Section 39(3) of the NEM: PAA requires that all persons who may be interested or affected by a management plan for a protected area be given the opportunity to participate in, or comment on the plan. Section 41(2e) of the NEM: PAA states that a management plan for a protected area must contain at least procedures for public participation, including participation by the owner (if applicable), any local community or other interested party. The stakeholder engagement strategy was developed in line with the requirements of SANParks guidelines for stakeholder engagement and Chapter 5 of the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998). This report is submitted as a record of the formal comments received from stakeholders on the draft Park Management Plan of the GGHNP. 2. Stakeholder engagement strategy 2.1 Stakeholder engagement objectives The objectives of the stakeholder participation process are to: Create a channel for the accurate and timely dissemination of information to interested and affected stakeholders; Create the opportunity for communication between SANParks and the public; Promote opportunities for the building of understanding between different parties; Provide the opportunity for stakeholders to give meaningful input into the decision- making processes that drive the development of the Park Management Plan. 2.2 Approach The approach to the Stakeholder Participation Process is based on the principles embodied in the following legal framework: The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act (Act No. 108 of 1996); National Environmental Management Act (Ac No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA); and NEM: PAA as amended by the NEM: PAA (Act No.31 of 2004), (Act No. 15 of 2009) and (Act No. 21 of 2014). In addition to the above legal framework, the stakeholder process was developed with the Guiding Principles for SANParks Stakeholder Participation in mind. SANParks thus undertakes to: 4 Seek to notify stakeholders of participation processes through appropriate mechanisms; Ensure that the process provides the opportunity for input from all stakeholders within reasonable timeframes, emphasising the sharing of information, joint learning and capacity building; Promote participation by stakeholders through timeous and full disclosure of all relevant and appropriate information; Provide feedback on the outcome of the process to stakeholders and demonstrate how their inputs have been considered in the decision-making process; Ensure that methodologies accommodate the context of the issue at hand and the availability of resources (people, time, money) and do not conflict with these guiding principles; and Give attention to ensuring participation by marginalised communities, communities with specific concerns, or communities that have contractual rights in the national park. 3. The stakeholder engagement process The stakeholder engagement process took the form of a wide-reaching open process where comments and/or input on the draft sections were collected, considered and responded to. The ‘call for comments’ to participate and comment on the draft sections was advertised in national newspapers, on the SANParks website, local information centres and municipal offices. Stakeholders were able to register at two public information sessions. At the public information sessions, stakeholders were given a chance to directly interact with park management. 4. Stakeholder identification, registration and meetings 4.1 Media platforms used to invite stakeholders to register and participate STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION REPORT A variety of media platforms (Table 1) were used to engage stakeholders on the revision of the park – management plan and invite stakeholders to participate. Table 1. The various media platforms used to inform stakeholders of the revision of the park management plan. Media Description 1. Direct e-mail All the stakeholders that were registered during the 2013 management plan revision were informed about the revision process. Key stakeholders were sent personal invites to attend any of the public sessions. 2. National print media Advertisements to inform interested and affected parties to attend and advertisements comment on the draft park management plan were placed in the following national newspapers on 26 January 2020: Sunday Times; Rapport. 3. Internet Stakeholders were able to access the SANParks website from 01 April 2019 to gain information regarding the revision process. 4. Registration at meetings Participants were also able to register at the following meetings: Desired state workshop held on 14 May 2019 in Clarens; Desired state workshop held on 15 May 2019 in Phuthaditjhaba; PARK NATIONALGOLDEN GATE HIGHLANDS Public meeting held on 06 February 2020 in Phuthaditjhaba; and Public meeting held on 06 February 2020 in Clarens. 5. Public information boards Official notices were placed at 31 public venues. These were at: Clarens Horeb Butchery (Fikizolo); Save Rite Supermarket; and Clarens Library. 5 Media Description 5. Public information boards Kgubetswana Township Vuka Phanda Tuck Shop; and Fire and Dallas Shop. Fouriesburg Jia Le Fu Supermarket; Kennaway Café; and African Trading store. Mashaeng Township Moonlight Supermarket; and Mashaeng Library. Bethlehem Bethlehem Library; Shoprite Bethlehem; and Dihlabeng Municipal Offices. Bohlokong Township Bohlokong Library; and Bohlokong Youth Centre. Kestell Kestell Library; Kontrei Kombuis Shop; and Kiron Shop. Thlolong Big 11 Supermarket; Meat Market Motampelong; and New S.A General Dealer. Phuthaditjhaba / QwaQwa Shoprite Setsing; Setsing Super Spar; Setsing Library; Phuthaditjhaba Library; Monontsha Shopping Centre; Bakoena /Mabolela Traditional Council; Batlokoa / Tseseng Traditional Council; Tseseng Shopping Centre; Makoane Shopping Centre; and Lusaka Shopping Centre. 2. Documentation dissemination The draft park management plan was made available at the public venues as listed in Table 2. 6 Table 2. Public venues where members of the public could view the draft park management plan. Item Action Date Draft document for Dihlabeng Municipality, Market Street (Clarens 29 February 2020 comment placed in public Square), Clarens; venues. Phuthaditjhaba Information Centre, c/o Mampoi and Mota roads, Phuthaditjhaba; Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality, Old Parliament building, 1 Mampoi Street, Phuthaditjhaba; and Maluti a Phofung Municipality, c/o Moremoholo and Motloung streets, Setsing Complex, Phuthaditjhaba. Draft document for https://www.sanparks.org/conservation/park_man/ 27 February 2020 comment placed on SANParks Website. Revised draft document and The documents will be available on the SANParks comments and response Website once approved by SANParks ExCo. They will be N/A report available to made available to registered stakeholders by email and stakeholders. internet link. Dissemination of finalised The documents will be available on the SANParks document and comments Website once approved by the Minister. They will be N/A and responses document. made available to registered stakeholders by email and internet link. 4.3 Public information sessions on draft sections Park management prepared a formal PowerPoint presentation highlighting key sections of the draft STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION REPORT park management plan. For the two advertised public information sessions (Table 3) all – stakeholders had an opportunity to engage directly with park management. Table 3. Public information sessions held around the park. Number of stakeholders Venue Date that attended Maluti TVET (Bonamelo Campus), Stadium Road, 06 February 2020 30 Phuthaditjhaba Kgubetswana Hall, Clarens 06 February 2020 162 5. Stakeholder comments All comments received on the draft park management plan are listed in Table 4 below. In total 52 comments were received. General, verbal responses were given to the commentators at the various meetings. SANParks has formulated responses to all the comments/input received, including comments

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