Implementation of the National Elephant Heritage Strategy in KZN & NW; with the Deputy Minister

Video The Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries met on a virtual platform to review progress on the National Elephant Heritage Strategy (NEHS) in the KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces.  The Chairperson highlighted ongoing concerns: unsustainable elephant populations, welfare risks, lack of transparency, and incomplete integration of communities into the biodiversity economy. The Deputy Minister’s overview noted that the NEHS was finalised and scheduled for gazetting by the end of June. The NEHS was aligned with the Elephant Action Plan (EAP) and international obligations. The strategy’s vision was resilient elephant populations supporting biodiversity, culture, and inclusive livelihoods. Provinces would be responsible for implementation once the NEHS was gazetted. The goals of the NEHS were: Economic: leverage elephants for community benefit, tourism, and jobs. Social: strengthened cultural ties, education, and conflict mitigation. Environmental: adaptive management, fencing, corridors, contraception, culling only as a last resort. Governance: inclusive participation, co-management, review of outdated norms and standards. The Department’s presentation on the NEHS highlighted population and management issues. It indicated that South Africa had approximately 40 000 elephants across state and private reserves, but current norms and standards were restrictive and outdated. The planned revision would enable adaptive, evidence-based management. It referred to community and conflict interventions, with site-specific plans for hotspots such as Madikwe, Pilanesberg and Mawana, and highlighted funding and projects aimed at reducing conflict, strengthening management, and harmonising approaches across transfrontier conservation areas. Members raised a wide range of issues, including:  Delays in gazetting the NEHS and revising norms and standards; Limited evidence of tangible impact on communities; The need for transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes; Concerns about inadequate public participation in the National Elephant Indaba; Calls to prioritise non-lethal management before culling; and Questions on funding allocations, economic impacts, and scientific indicators for elephant management. The Committee acknowledged progress, but emphasised urgency. The NEHS needed to move beyond policy into implementation with clear timelines, accountability, and community benefit-sharing, while ensuring humane and science-based management of elephant populations.