I was so saddened to hear about the mining that is going to be happening along the wild coast. Have you seen the wild coast? It is breathtakingly beautiful and unspoilt. That whole stretch of coastline is one of our major tourist attractions. The mining is proposed for the Pondoland area, which according to ecologists is a sensitive area.
The justification for the mining is of course the increase in jobs to the area. I see this as an expedient excuse. There will be a few jobs for locals, but surely these jobs can be replaced by the development of eco-tourism? Most of the money will go into the pockets of the Australians and the BEE company that won the contract.
That area of coastline will never be the same. Species of plants and animals will become extinct. Our resource of potential new medicinal compounds will be reduced. But for me the saddest thing is that something beautiful and ancient will be torn apart for ridiculous human short term gain.
I have been studying environmental philosophy, which has allowed me to see the way in which we treat our surroundings in a new light. Few people would go so far as to accord a coastline the right to exist for it's own sake. But then let it exist for our own sake and the sake of future South Africans. We have responsibilities towards future generations whether we like to think so or not. We will never get that coastline back. Where will the Xolobeni ancestors rest?
(photo is not of the area to be mined).
