KWAZULU NATAL NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 KZN NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 CONTENTS PART 1: Overview 04 Features 05 Approval of the Annual Report 06 Corporate Profi le and Activities 07 PART 2: Executive Reports 08 Message from the MEC 09 Board Chairman’s Report 10 Board Members 12 Audit and Risk Committee 14 CEO’s Report 16 PART 3: Achievements and Challenges 18 A. Conservation and Parks 19 Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site 19 Isimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site 42 Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park 43 Scientifi c Services 46 Game Capture 54 Rhino Security 56 Community Conservation 60 Black Rhino Range 63 Transfontier Conservation Areas 64 B. Ecotourism Services 66 C. Corporate Support Services 74 D. Human Resources 78 E. Internal Audit 83 PART 4: Annual Financial Statements 84 Auditor-General Report 85 General Information 90 Accounting Authority’s Responsibilities and Approval 91 Audit and Risk Committee Report 92 Accounting Authority’s Report 93 Pre-Determined Objective Performance Report 95 Statement of Financial Position 101 Statement of Financial Performance 102 Statement of Changes in Net Assets 103 Cash Flow Statement 104 Statement of Comparison of Budget and Actual Amounts 105 Accounting Policies 106 Notes to the Audited Annual Financial Statements 112 Legislation Applicable to Ezemvelo 126 KZN NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 PART 1: OVERVIEW Features 05 Approval of the Annual Report 06 Corporate Profi le and Activities 07 4 KZN NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 FEATURES > Ezemvelo’s mandate is derived from the KwaZulu-Natal or were once on the brink of extinction. Examples of such species Nature Conservation Management Act (Act No.9 of 1997), which include vultures, white and black rhino, loggerhead turtles and is to direct the management of nature conservation within the wattled cranes. province, including protected areas (PAs). This includes the > Ezemvelo is entrusted with the responsibility for managing the development and promotion of ecotourism facilities within the PAs. Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site, as well as performing > Ezemvelo manages more than 120 PAs, including terrestrial, coastal conservation and ecotourism activities within the iSimangaliso and marine reserves. Wetlands Park World Heritage Site. The organisation also manages > Ezemvelo, as a state-owned entity, remains committed to deliver a number of Ramsar sites (wetlands of international importance), on the priorities of Government, which include job creation. such as Ndumo Game Reserve, Kosi Bay and Lake Sibaya. This is achieved by the organisation either entering into > Ezemvelo is considered as one of the leading conservation authorities partnerships or implementing programmes that enable job creation. in South Africa, by its peers. These programmes are also aligned to further conservation eff orts. > Ezemvelo is forging a distinctive identity in the fi eld of Community > Community development has been high on Ezemvelo’s agenda, Conservation, as part of its integrated approach to enable job as conservation must create tangible benefi ts to people, especially creation, as well as environmentally sensitive land-use activities. for those who reside in the buff er zones i.e. adjacent to PAs. > Ezemvelo is cognizant that conservation is a land-use in direct > Management plans continue to be implemented by Ezemvelo to competition with other land-uses. stabilise key species, many of which have been considered vulnerable PTILES BIRDS RE S BUT AL 167 600 T E M R M F A L I E M 189 595 S REPRESENTATION OF SPECIES WITHIN BROADER TAXONOMIC GROUPS E S T U A 107 5600 R I S N T E N FISH PLA F 86 74 R E S HW H S ATER FIS FROG KZN NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD 5 ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL REPORT SCOPE AND BOUNDARY OF APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL THIS REPORT INTEGRATED REPORT The Annual Report covers the performance, fi nancial and non-fi nancial, The accounting authority acknowledges its responsibility to ensure of Ezemvelo for the year ended 31 March 2017. The entity operates the integrity of the Annual Integrated Report. The members of the in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, within the Republic of South Africa. accounting authority are satisfi ed with the content and have approved this Annual Integrated Report. Our fi nancial reporting complies with Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP). Management has also considered the draft guidelines on integrated reporting, provided by the Integrated Reporting Committee of South Africa. MR ZWILE ZULU ASSURANCE Chairman Assurance of this Annual Integrated Report is provided by the accounting authority and management of Ezemvelo. The Auditor-General has provided external assurance on the fi nancial and non-fi nancial performance reports and the report appears on page (85-89). 6 KZN NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 CORPORATE PROFILE AND ACTIVITIES Our vision, mission and values have been worded to encapsulate these BRIEF HISTORY challenges, as well as to distinguish us in all facets of our business. The history of Ezemvelo is a source of considerable pride for all associated with it. This organisation has been at the forefront of South We seek to fulfi l our vision, mission and core values by focusing on Africa’s conservation eff ort for many decades and its reputation has a Conservation, Ecotourism and Partnerships. strong international standing as well. The success of Ezemvelo can be attributed to a pioneering history, as well as an ongoing adherence to strategies and plans that are in line with international best practice. VISION “To be a world renowned leader in the fi eld of biodiversity conservation” Ezemvelo is the off spring of a merger between two former conservation bodies, following the country’s democratic elections in 1994, the Natal Parks Board (formed in 1947), and the former KwaZulu-Natal MISSION Directorate of Nature Conservation (formed in 1972). Both contributed “To ensure eff ective conservation and sustainable use of KwaZulu-Natal’s equally, and often innovatively, to the subsequent formation of the biodiversity, in collaboration with stakeholders, for the benefi t of present KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Board, with its operational body and future generations” being the KwaZulu-Natal Conservation Service. The amalgamation was formalised in terms of the KwaZulu-Natal CORE VALUES Conservation Management Act (Act No.9 of 1997). The entity is a > Passion – We shall be passionate in what we do. Schedule 3C public entity, in terms of the Public Finance Management > Respect – We shall perform our duties in a professional, Act (Act No. 1 of 1999), reporting to the KwaZulu-Natal Department ethical manner. of Agriculture and Environmental Aff airs. > Trust – We shall act transparently, with integrity and honesty in all we do. > Innovation – We shall embrace a culture of learning, adaptation and CORPORATE IDENTITY creativity at all times. Modern day conservation is particularly challenging, owing to the > Excellence – We shall strive to apply best practices to achieve the dynamic economic and social environment we live in. This challenge highest quality and standards at all times. is compounded by the escalating pressures of a developing society. AIMS OF EZEMVELO Ezemvelo, in terms of the KZN Nature Conservation Management Act 9 of 1997, is mandated to: a) Direct the management of i. nature conservation within the province; ii. protected areas; and iii. the development and promotion of ecotourism facilities within the protected areas. b) Ensure the proper, effi cient and eff ective management of the Conservation Service. KZN NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD 7 ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 PART 2: EXECUTIVE REPORTS Message from the MEC 09 Board Chairman’s Report 10 Board Members 12 Audit and Risk Committee 14 CEO’s Report 16 8 KZN NATURE CONSERVATION BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 MESSAGE FROM THE MEC “...we are nonetheless grateful for the role played by the communities adjacent to various protected areas in fi ghting this endemic killing of these majestic beasts. Some community members put their lives in danger by exposing the feared individuals involved in rhino poaching MR. SIHLE ZIKALALA within their communities.” MEC During the year under review, most of Ezemvelo’s achievements not Conservationists always advise that human beings must not interfere only contributed to the development of local communities, but also with nature. However, because of the unrelenting drought, it became ensured that those within the immediate vicinity of our parks became diffi cult, during the year under review, to fold our hands and let directly involved in our conservation eff orts. nature be. At times, we were left with no choice but to dig boreholes and translocate wildlife to protected areas that still had some water, This is in line with our drive of fostering a culture of shared responsibility unfortunately we still lost some animals. between ourselves and the public in our drive to protect, in particular, our critically endangered species. Ezemvelo has also had to deal with the aftermath of the non-renewal of a coastline monitoring contract. The organisation has always understood Conservation, as well as benefi ts accrued through it, should become that a time will come to let go of these activities. When the Department everybody’s business. Conservation initiatives that do not benefi t of Fisheries and Forestry decided not to renew the contract, it aff orded local communities are doomed to fail. In this regard, co-management us an opportunity to redeploy our marine staff to under-resourced, agreements have been signed with communities of Ndumo, Tembe, terrestrial protected areas. Okhukho, Mlaba Ximba, Hlabisa, Mpukunyoni, Zulu and Buthelezi. I also wish to thank the previous Board for the role that they have These have resulted in the strengthening of partnerships between played in ensuring that Ezemvelo remains one of the best conservation Ezemvelo and these communities as we continue to wage a war against agencies, not only in the country, but internationally.