AN almost two-decade deadlock between conservancy owners and Zimbabwean villagers that forcibly occupied parts of one of the biggest sanctuaries in the country has at last been resolved, paving way for the establishment of one of the world’s biggest inter-country park.
The resolution of the deadlock this past weekend will enable the creation of the much-anticipated Great Limpopo Trans-frontier Park linking major parks in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwean villagers that invaded the Save Conservancy at the height of the land invasions in 2000 had failed to vacate the land while the cash-strapped government could not facilitate their relocation.
A resolution was reached recently at a meeting held in the town of Chiredzi between the Conservancy, the local leadership and the villagers.
It is anticipated the European Union (EU) would release €12 million ($13.45 million) it was withholding after an earlier pledge to spearhead conservation and tourism activities in the Save Valley.
The offer was set to expire at the end of this month (July).
Steven Vos, Chief Operation Officer for Save Valley Conservancy, proposed a model that would see the organisation uplift of communities through infrastructure development such as schools, clinics and roads wherever the villagers would be settled.
He said the intended conservancy project would enhance the tourism industry and promote Zimbabwe’s quest for re-engagement with the global community.
“Investors can invest where there are clear policies by government on land tenure. An agreement between our two parties to co-exist is a charm to international investment as well as re-engagement with the international community,” Vos said.
Roy Bhilla, Member of Parliament for Chiredzi North, played a key role in the breakthrough.
He spent the previous week engaging adamant villagers, assuring them they would be relocated in permissible areas around the conservancy. He assured them of the aforementioned benefits.
“I have been having sleepless nights trying to find solutions to this standoff since government is concerned not to let the (EU) money go. My task is now easier because we have agreed to have this project kick off,” Bhila said.
Chief Gudo, who also attended the meeting, hailed the resolution and pledged his support to the initiative.
“I am now in support of the proposal because conservancy owners and government had indicated that none of my people will lose their land permanently since they will be assisted to settle elsewhere. This has been the most sticking issue,” he said.
Weldon Schenck, Chairman for Save Valley Conservancy, said his organisation would embark on a five-year plan to restore sanity at the conservancy.
“At the moment the conservancy is in shambles,” he said.
Villagers have over the years tempered with some infrastructure such as fencing. There have been rampant poaching.
“Now that we have reached common ground, we are going to plan on how we can make the conservancy great again. We have the knowledge and ideas on how to take conservation and tourism back to normal,” Schenck said.
Addressing guests at a briefing in Triangle last month ahead of the Masvingo Environment and Tourism Indaba, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira said Government had lost millions of dollars due to the two decade long confusion which has fuelled the surge in human-wildlife conflict and poaching.
“We have an ongoing exercise which we are undertaking in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement on the removal of illegal settlers mainly in wildlife sanctuaries,” she said.
“Here in Chiredzi, we have issues at Save Valley Conservancy and some parts of Gonarezhou National Park. We know the Members of Parliament here are against this move because they would start saying our voters are now being affected, but the country, the party (Zanu-PF) and the generality of Zimbabweans have suffered due to this confusion.”
Minister Mupfumira said the country could not continue ignoring the continued destruction of the environment by illegal occupants.
“We have recorded cases of illegal gold panning in the middle of the conservancy, there is rampant cutting down of our trees,” she said.
“This has tarnished the image of our country, you cannot expect tourists to visit a conservancy which has been affected by land degradation.
“We want to arrest all those who are fuelling this. We want to punish all those who are working against the environment. This disorder must be sorted in no time, we want the conservancy to be fenced so that we address the rising cases of human wildlife conflict.”
Save Valley is one the internationally recognised animal sanctuaries.
Its problems created some bad relations between government and the international community.
Most of the facilities in the conservancy are under the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) with South Africa.
BIPPA exempts South African investments in Zimbabwe from takeover.
The Great Limpopo Trans-frontier Park will link South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou and Mozambique’s Limpopo national parks culminating in 350 000 km2 park.
About Save Conservancy
The Save Valley Conservancy was formed as a result of the coming together of a number of circumstances. The first was that an epic drought brought an end to cattle ranching and agricultural endeavour in the area and with it, the realisation that wildlife was the only viable future for the area. This dovetailed perfectly with the arrival of the first Black Rhino which had been moved from the Zambezi Valley where they were being poached to extinction.
A few enormous ranches were subdivided and sold in lots. These attracted local, regional and international investors; all keen to be a part of the new conservation vision that officially became the Save Valley Conservancy in 1991 when the constitution was signed by all parties.
All internal fences were removed from an area totalling 3,442sq km and a 350 km double perimeter fence was constructed. Approximately 4,000 animals of 14 species were reintroduced, including elephants in the largest translocation of that species ever undertaken.
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