Community Protests at iSimangaliso Highlight Governance and Co-management Failures

Conservation without inclusion: Why iSimangaliso protests reflect a governance crisis

The fever tree felling, fence cutting and road blockades at iSimangaliso are not random acts of criminality but an explosive symptom of a failed co‑management deal: communities forcibly removed and promised meaningful access, benefits and decision‑making power instead face top‑down rules, harassment, restricted livelihoods and unpaid compensation.

By Siphesihle Mbhele