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Home Missions Flown 2011 Missions KZN Rivers and Sand Mining
KZN Rivers and Sand Mining PDF Print E-mail

MISSION  04 of  2011

Name of Mission: KZN Rivers and Sand Mining        
Date of Mission: 29 March 2011
Aircraft used: Cessna 172      
Pilot: Brett Hill    
Beneficiary: Paul Dutton


Objective of the Flight

 

To assess whether any action has been taken to curb sand mining along the Mvoti and Umhlali rivers.

01_KZN_Mvoti_River_inland_29Mar2011Beneficiary’s story of the mission        By Paul Dutton

KZN  RIVERS  AND  SAND  MINING  by Paul Dutton

The last survey in 5 December 2009 indicated the extent to which our vital river systems were being trashed to keep up with the insatiable demand for coarse building sand to build the soccer stadium and new international airport in KZN.  Our flight in Brett Hill's Fox Bat ZU-ILE on 29 March 2011 showed that mining continues unabated, with the once tree-lined riverine margins of both the Mvoti and Umhlali rivers now succumbing to bulldozers.

02_KZN_Umhlali_River_29Mar2011When journalist Khululiwe Makhaya published her story in December 2009 in the North Coast Courier she was threatened by local North Coast councillors whose relatives had been given the necessary permits to engage in sand mining.

Although our rivers are regarded as the life blood of our country, the Department of Water Affairs appears to have no interest in taking action against the perpetrators.  I cannot expect the North Coast Courier to run another story about the mining, but I do have a suite of clear images from our flight that will be sent to them.

The result of our north coast rivers flight is now with our provincial parliament for debate.

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