Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Jacques Barnard and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL. See attached pictures here, here, and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Metsimaholo will launch a public petition and engage the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries to intervene in the protection and restoration of the Sasolburg Bird Sanctuary and Highveld Garden Nature Reserve.
The DA is also working closely with BirdLife South Africa to help rehabilitate the sanctuary, a vital ecological space that supports biodiversity, eco-tourism, and the local economy.
As South Africa joined the global community in observing World Habitat Day on 6 October under the theme “Urban Crisis Response,” we are reminded that protecting our natural and urban environments is not only an environmental responsibility but a constitutional obligation. Yet in Sasolburg, the Metsimaholo Local Municipality is falling short of this duty.
The Highveld Garden Nature Reserve, together with the Sasolburg Bird Sanctuary, once stood as a proud symbol of how biodiversity and urban development can coexist.
Proclaimed as a municipal protected area, the sanctuary was established to safeguard highveld flora and wetland birdlife, home to more than 70 species, including herons, kingfishers, jacanas, and rare rails and raptors. However, recent oversight visits revealed that the sanctuary is alarming.
According to the municipality’s 2025/26 Integrated Development Plan (IDP), the “maintenance of the Highveld Garden and Bird Sanctuary” remains unresolved, with no operational staff, inadequate equipment, and no approved management plan.
Despite being recognised as a protected nature reserve, the municipality has reportedly considered redevelopment for commercial purposes, directly contradicting the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003) and its own IDP commitments.
This neglect marks the slow demise of one of Sasolburg’s last green lungs. Wetland ecosystems purify water, prevent flooding, and store carbon, while providing breeding grounds for wildlife and offering recreational opportunities for residents. The sanctuary’s continued degradation poses a threat to biodiversity, eco-tourism, and a sustainable future.
The DA calls on the municipality to:
- Suspend all development or rezoning proposals and reaffirm the sanctuary’s protection through Council resolution and registration with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
- Establish a local rehabilitation task team with conservation experts, organisations, and community representatives.
- Integrate the sanctuary into the municipality’s biodiversity and tourism framework for sustainable management.
Protecting biodiversity is not a luxury, but it is essential to urban life. Metsimaholo must act decisively to safeguard these vital habitats.