A new national park is to be proclaimed in Pondoland that will “protect this unique heritage for our generations to come”, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk announced yesterday.

He was speaking after a briefing the Eastern Cape cabinet on the progress made in the implementation of the department’s Wild Coast Conservation and Development Programme.

The provincial cabinet has expressed its support for the new park that Van Schalkwyk says amounts to “taking the next important steps towards the conservation of the unique bio-diversity of this region.”

Van Schalkwyk said: “Anyone who has spent any time at all on the Wild Coast knows the power of this place. It captures the spirit of untamed mystery, combines it with untouched majesty, and presents it through landscapes of unrivalled natural splendour.”

He said the Pondoland centre of biological diversity and endemism was of such importance that it was recently added to the list of 26 global floristic hotspots.

“We have seen, in some areas, serious degradation over the past few years as a result of unplanned and inappropriate development, resource overuse and invasive species.

“This affects not only the eco-systems but also the long-term economic prospects for the communities of Pondoland. It is eco-tourism and related activities that hold the best potential for sustainable economic growth and job creation.”

Van Schalkwyk said the approach that would be adopted would be one “tailored to the strengths of the Wild Coast. Instead of the standard ‘Big Five’ concept we will forge a unique combination of wildlife viewing, beaches, marine and estuarine escapes in close conjunction with African cultural heritage.

“This will build on the Pondoland Marine Protected Area that we proclaimed last year, and will ultimately aim to extend the development corridor running along the South Coast of KwaZulu Natal into Pondoland. In the longer-term the goal would be to link this with the Garden Route development corridor.”

He said the next step would be a comprehensive series of public consultations about the plans for the park, adding that the character of the Wild Coast would need to be reflected in the final product and this would require the partnership and participation of communities, traditional leaders and other interest groups.

Commenting on the announcement, Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela said the eco-tourism potential of the Wild Coast was “a key component of our Eastern Cape 10-year Strategic Framework for Growth and Development and our Provincial Growth and Development Plan”.

She said the new national park would be an asset not only for the people of our province, but for all South Africans, adding that it would be “focused on both conservation and ensuring local economic development and social upliftment”.