1 March 1999
Issued by: Government Communication and Information System
Minister Stella Sigcau, Minister of Public Enterprises; Dr Anton Rupert, Chairman of SA National Parks Trust; Mr Rob Childs, Managing Director of PORTNET; Mr M Mkwanazi, Managing Director of TRANSNET Mr Mavuso Msimang, Chief Executive of SA National Parks, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen.
Geographical extremities capture the imagination. From ancient mariners to contemporary man, the quest has always been to reach the poles, sail around the tips of continents, climb the tallest peaks and dive to the deepest depths. In this adventurous spirit Cape Agulhas was no different. As the Southern-most tip of Africa, it has always had its own mystery and mystique.
Not only can there only be one Southern-most tip to any continent but the many shipwrecks that dot the coastline and its association with the "Cape of Storms" still lives in the memory of maritime nations. Coupled to a cultural heritage that dates back thousands of years when Khoi trapped fish in ingeniously constructed tidal fish traps and when the presence of numerous scattered middens remind contemporary man of a once successful hunter-gatherer culture that was in harmony with its environment, the Government and South African National Parks embraces the increasing significance of conserving the Southern-most tip of Africa for posterity. The area adjoining the Southern-most tip of Africa is characterised by a component of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the Lowland Fynbos. Of all the Fynbos components, the Lowland Fynbos is the most critically endangered due to invasive alien-plants, agricultural expansion and residential development. Land speculation, large-scale resort and residential development is threatening the environmental integrity of the area immediately adjoining the Southern-most tip of Africa.
The South African National Parks, in accordance with its mandate, accepted the challenge to establish a national park in the region that would secure the integrity of this national asset. In achieving this goal the SANP in association with the South African National Parks Trust, WWF will endeavour to establish partnerships with the private sector that will assist the SANP in securing critical land parcels to reduce the immediate threat to the project.
The Cape Agulhas area is of immense conservation and tourism significance. The development of the proposed national park will be executed in phases and the consolidation of the properties around the Southern-most tip must enjoy priority and act as the "gateway to the emerging Agulhas National Park".
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Agulhas area has a rich cultural heritage. A reconnaissance of the area has established the presence of a number of significant archaeological sites along the section of coast in the vicinity of the Southern-most tip. The shell middens represent an important archaeological chapter and contribute substantially to the understanding of the Khoekhoe, a Khoi-San grouping. The shell middens are impressively large, much larger than any sites mapped in the West Coast National Park. Furthermore, the contents of the middle display distinct shifts in abundance of different species utilised through time. The significance thereof probably relates to availability of species utilised through time. The significance thereof probably relates to availability of species to gather rather than a shift in food preference. Perlemoen and alikreukel dominate the older shellfish component. These high yield species register shell diameters and opercula sizes far above the modern range. The younger shellfish component includes lower yield species of thepatellids and oxystelids.
The contrast relates to the availability and collectability of target species at spring low tides vis-a-vis harvesting at less restricted times. The occurrence of circular stone hearths and pottery, at least with the younger shellfish component of the middens, link the archaeological deposits with Khoekhoe settlements. In a real sense the middens represent pages in the history of the Khoekhoe.
The archaeological significance of the middens is enhanced by the fact that they are substantial enough and extensive enough to make excavations and research possible. Further more, there are a number of similar sites in the same general area, which means comparative studies are possible. In developing the national part it will be essential to consolidate the coastal properties as the real need is to conserve as many as possible of the remaining archaeological sites, and not only selected examples. This is because truth lies in the diversity and patterning demonstrated in the deposits. In the final analysis understanding the archaeological record will contribute ot our appreciation of this unique cultural heritage
Associated with the middens ared good examples of tidal fish traps that are unique to the coastal properties. Many are still in reasonably operational condition. In the immediate vicinity of the Southern-most tip there are two excellent examplse that hold immense tourism potential.
As early as 1487, Bartholomew Diaz aware of possible dangerous passages, left his mother ship in the relative safety of the Namibian coast and set of in two caravels to sail around the Southern tip. In 1488 Diaz after rounding the tip, named the point Ponta de Sao Brandao and returned to the Namibian Coast. In 1497 Vaco da Gama sailed around Ponta de Sao Brandeo and from 1502 the Cape was known as Cabo das Agulhas.
The first documented shipwreck was the Zoetendal which starnded in 1673. A Khoi Chief, one Captain Klaas led the survivors, to the Cape trading post. Subsequently, a wetland near the Southern-most point was named after the Zoetendal and it is envisaged that this vlei will be incorporated into the proposed national park. From 1673 to 1448 thirty-four shipwrecks were recorded. From 1847-1848 the Agulhas lighthouse was built with funding from overseas shipping companies and the British Government. Ironically, in the period following the completion of the lighthouse to the end of that century. Sixty-eight more ships were wrecked. No wonder Cape Agulhas was known as "the cemetery for ships" or as one William Porter, the Chairman of the Cape Chamber of Commerce, in 1840, remarked "the Golgotha of the Oceans".
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Besides its rich cultural heritage the Agulhas area is of international conservation importance due to the plant biodiversity, with species richness value equaling those of tropical rain forests. The Agulhas Plain has approximately 2000 species, which includes 100 endemic species and 112 Red Date Book species. Most endemic plant species are edaphic (soil) specialists, being confined to particular substrates, such as limestone and limestone-associated soils.
The Agulhas Plain has a complex geology giving rise to complex diverse soil types within a small area. Not only does this contribute to certain unique habitats but also to entire vegetation types, such as Elim asteraceous fynbos, being confined to the area. A wide variety of wetlands occur in this relatively small area. The plant diversity and aquatic invertebrate diversity are exceptionally high in these wetlands. Furthermore it is home to the endangered Cape Platanna and the Micro frog. The wetlands support a divese assemblage of water birds with over 21 000 estimated to occur here.
ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE
The Agulhas Plain is part of the Overberg District and is classified as rural with agriculture as its major industry. In the coastal regions the fishing industry is severely depressed due to over-fishing of the resource which is characterised by large scale poaching of species such as perlemoen. All the major towns share one economic trait, one of relative stagnation and in some cases retrogression.
Tourism is recognised as a growth industry. Currently, efforts are underway to organise the industry. However, the industry is not yet structured to capitalise optimally on the emerging opportunities. The development of the national park coupled with the accompanying expertise and capacity in tourism development bodes well for the region as a whole. Forty thousand people already visit the lighthouse and its environs annually. Where properly developed and marketed, the Southern-most tip, would command a comparative advantage that would equal Hermanus, that received in excess of 100 000 visitors annually. Not only is there the attraction of the lighthouse, which is 150 years old today, but also the Southern tip, whale watching and other attractions of a national park which would act as the required stimulus.
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
The SANP has identified Agulhas as a top fynbos priority in terms of biodiversity conservation. Consolidation of the core area will follow a phased approach. The first phase will be to secure the Southern-most tip, the area around the lighthouse and the surrounding properties. Once this objective has been attained the Soetanysberg core will be established. Every effort will be made to secure contractual agreements with the three landowners between the Southern-most core and the Soetanysberg core to ensure a continuous protected area.
Thirdly, negotiations are underway with the Elim Community with the aim of securing Geelkop, a centre of endemism, as a contractual park. Similarly, the SANP is negotiating with another parastatal, ESKOM, as to uphold the Hagelkraal property for the purpose of a national park. Hagelkraal represents a biodiversity hotspot representative of the limestone fynbos. Lastly, the State already owns crucial pockets of land such as portions of the Walker Bay State Forest, which could provide the critical link between the core areas.
Consolidating the Southern-most properties
The Southern-most tip consists of four strategically important properties of which three are in private ownership. These are:
Southern-most property of 4 ha;
Theron-trust of 66 ha;
Portnet property of 99 ha;
Lourens trust of 995 ha.
As Portnet is a statutory organ of the State, the SANP was prepared to enter into discussions as to the use of their property at Agulhas. Agreement was reached whereby the titles to the property will be upheld for the purpose of a national park. It is important to secure the other three Southern most properties. After protracted negotiation SANP succeeded in reaching agreement with two of the three landowners. The invaluable Southern-most property of 4 ha was purchased by the South African National Parks Trust on the understanding that a corporate benefactor wishing to contribute to securing this national asset would refund the loan.
The second property belonging to the Lourens Trust has 3 km of sea frontage plus magnificent ocean vistas from a dune escarp inland. It has been zoned and earmarked for nodal residential string development that would see almost 2000 residential serviced plots, a 200-bed hotel and a country club with an 18-hole golf course. Following numerous debates and discussions, the SANP secured a consolidated core of 995 ha that links the Southern-most properties with the rest of the proposed national park. The SANP also succeeded in moving the proposed satellite development nodes scattered throughout the property into five nodes of peripheral development bordering the existing Suidestrand and Agulhas townships. The developer has also agreed to a significant reduction in total residential units, the realignment of the hotel site, and assistance in realigning the public road that currently impacts on the naturalness of any visit to the tip. This purchase was funded from a development fund the SANP manages. Negotiations are under way with the owners of the third property as to the possible purchase or contractual inclusion into the Southern tip core.
CONCLUSION
History often repeats itself. At a time in 1848 when the authority did not have the funds to secure safe passage for ships around Cape Agulhas, private initiative revelled at the opportunity to fund the project. Shipping companies from Calcutta, Bombay, Maldives, Manila, St. Helena and London realised the objectives through joint funding.
Today, the SANP, as a custodian of South Africa's national assets, is confronted with the challenge of funding another Agulhas project. A hundred and fifty years after the successful intervention of corporate shipping companies addressed a critical need, the SANP, in almost a similar manner, requires to be creative in securing the integrity of Agulhas. This time again, in national and international interest.
There is only one Southern-most tip of Africa, there is only one Cape Agulhas, there is only one window of opportunity whereby we can demonstrate our ability to project Cape Agulhas into the future as a conservation area of note that has withstood the threats of short-sighted development.
For further information please contact: Mr Jay Singh
(021) 465 7240 or 082 654 4699