Mkambati rises on global conservation stage

Mkambati Nature Reserve has been elevated to the global stage after being officially recognised as a wetland of international importance — a milestone underscoring the Wild Coast’s ecological richness and conservation ambitions.

Speaking at the official handover on Wednesday, deputy forestry, fisheries and the environment minister Narend Singh said the reserve’s designation as the Eastern Cape’s first Ramsar site marked a “significant milestone” for both conservation and local development.

The Ramsar Convention, an international treaty dedicated to the protection of wetlands, recognises sites of exceptional ecological value.

Mkambati now joins a select group of globally protected wetlands, becoming SA’s 31st Ramsar site and reinforcing the importance of its ecosystems on the world stage.

Nestled along the Wild Coast in Pondoland, Mkambati’s wetlands include rare swamp forests, estuaries and distinctive coastal features, including 21 waterfalls such as the Mkambati Falls, which cascades directly into the sea.

The reserve is owned by the Mkambati Land Trust, representing about 40,000 residents in surrounding communities.

After a successful land claim, the community took ownership of the land, and the reserve is now jointly managed with the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency.

The scenic Mkambathi Nature Reserve in rural Lusikisiki, which has served as one of the popular attractions for visitors and tourists over the years, has now become the Eastern Cape’s first ever designated Ramsar site. The announcement was made last week by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA), an entity of the department of economic development, environmental affairs, in partnership with the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment. With the latest achievement, Mkambathi also officially becomes SA’s 31st designated Ramsar site. Ramsar sites are wetland areas that have been designated as being of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty focused on conserving and sustainably using wetlands. This means the sites are considered particularly valuable for biodiversity and require special protection within the country. The convention provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into effect in 1975. Since then, almost 90% of UN member states, from all the world’s geographic regions, have acceded to become “contracting parties” according to the Ramsar Convention website. QLZJXVYLDROVZLWCXMOECHBQTQ It also stated that “wetlands are vital for human survival, they are among the world’s most productive environments; cradles of biological diversity that provide the water and productivity upon which countless species of plants and animals depend for survival.” ECPTA CEO Vuyani Dayimani described the declaration on Mkambathi as a huge milestone. “The Ramsar designation of Mkambathi Nature Reserve highlights the ecological value of this precious wetland and reinforces our unwavering commitment to preserving our region’s biodiversity. It is a proud moment for all of us at ECPTA, our partners and the communities we serve,” he said. “Wetlands like those at Mkambathi are more than just bodies of water; they are vibrant ecosystems that support life, providing critical breeding and feeding grounds for numerous species. The reserve fulfils key Ramsar criteria through its rare and natural wetland types, playing an essential role in safeguarding vulnerable and endangered species, maintaining biological diversity and acting as a sanctuary during critical life stages.” Located about 59km south west of Port St Johns and covering about 7,720ha, Mkambati is reportedly dotted with indigenous forest patches and swamp forests, open grasslands and flanked by eye-catching forested ravines of the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers. Game such as eland and red hartebeest have reportedly been introduced into grasslands while the reserve’s 10km coastline has become a tantalising feature on its own marked by rugged and rocky beaches, offering visitors a glimpse of unspoilt nature and wildlife according to the ECPTA’s own website. 527J45CQLBOFZC3FKPAMWEAAWA Dayimani said its international recognition as an important bird area (IBA) further underlined the reserve’s global conservation significance, supporting species such as the spotted ground thrush, southern ground-hornbill and Knysna woodpecker. “The designation carries tangible benefits for local communities, through promoting sustainable eco-tourism and conservation practices, it opens up opportunities for community engagement, job creation and economic development. Our vision is to build a future where conservation and community prosperity go hand in hand.” He said the achievement would pave the way for initiatives that showcased “our collective expertise and highlight the transformative power of sustainable environmental management”. The recognition by the Ramsar Convention also marked a watershed moment for the Eastern Cape while strengthening the foundation of ECPTA’s own mandate which included to protect, conserve and promote unique natural heritage of the province for future generations, he said. 7J3HWMLNUFJP3ING674SBB7DVY But Ingquza Hill Business Chamber secretary Lwandile Gcume said, despite its huge potential, particularly in uplifting tourism development in the area, Mkambathi remained grossly underused and undermarketed. He said as a result, there was no economic benefit for those operating businesses in Lusikisiki and surrounds. “You even forget it exist. It has so much potential but it remains just that, unfulfilled potential. As for ECPTA’s existence, we haven’t felt it in our space as business people. We just know they have a section that is funded by Sanral that deals with protecting biodiversity along the Wild Coast,” he said. Lusikisiki ratepayer and pensioner Khwalo Matandabuzo meanwhile said Mkambathi had earned a reputation of having one of the “wildest and most dangerous” beaches after several drownings over the years. He said the reserve’s international recognition would also position their area in a better position as government was talking about the concept of SA’s first smart city stretching from Port St Johns, Lusikisiki and Flagstaff (both in Ingquza Hill local municipality), Winnie Madikizela Mandela local municipality, and all the way to KwaZulu-Natal. “We hope it will change people’s perceptions about Mkambathi once and for all. “Hopefully, it will also lead to more development and creation of huge job opportunities.” Daily Dispatch

Singh said the area’s biodiversity and relatively pristine condition made it stand out at a time when many wetlands across SA were under pressure.

“At a time when wetlands face multiple pressures from pollution, development and poor land use practices, finding systems that remain in good condition is rare,” he said.

Mkambati’s significance extends beyond its wetlands.

The reserve forms part of the Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany biodiversity hotspot, one of the most important centres of plant diversity globally.

Spanning about 7,700ha, it protects a largely untouched stretch of coastline where rolling grasslands meet deep river gorges carved by the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers.

The landscape is defined by its dramatic natural features — from unspoilt estuaries and swamp forests to waterfalls that plunge into the Indian Ocean.

It also supports a wide range of wildlife, including grazing antelope, diverse birdlife and marine species such as dolphins and seasonal whales just offshore.

The designation builds on earlier recognition of Mkambati as a critical biodiversity site and comes amid ongoing debate around development in the Wild Coast, including concerns over land linked to the N2 Wild Coast toll road project.

Singh said the Ramsar framework promoted a balance between conservation and development, encouraging the “wise use” of wetlands.

“This is about protecting biodiversity while supporting economic development and improving livelihoods,” he said, adding that sustainable tourism and nature-based enterprises could benefit local communities.

The government has committed R17m towards infrastructure upgrades and improved visitor access at the reserve, part of efforts to unlock its tourism potential while maintaining environmental safeguards.

The designation also forms part of the broader Wild Coast Conservation and Development Initiative, a multi-stakeholder effort involving the government, conservation bodies, traditional leaders and local communities.

“We are working towards a model that is practical, inclusive and balanced,” Singh said.

Nine Eastern Cape women are doing a tough basic training course to become the first all-women squad of field rangers on the Wild Coast — and the first in the province. Based on the pioneering Black Mambas from the Greater Kruger National Park, the Green Griffons who pass the course will do ranger duty at the Mkambati Nature Reserve. Their lead trainer is former Green Scorpions leader Dr Div de Villiers, 62, who spoke of his exhaustion at having to do 67 push-ups in 60 seconds and 47 sit-ups a minute with the trainees. “You can’t expect trainees to do it if you can’t,” he said at the start of the 17.5km Discovery Surfers Challenge, itself a gruelling trail run along the rocky, sandy East Coast from Kwelera to Nahoon, on Saturday. De Villiers said the first Green Griffons to succeed in completing the training would become “the Eastern Cape’s answer to the Black Mambas”. “The Green Griffons will be responsible for ensuring that the GweGwe concession area of the Mkambati Nature Reserve and the adjacent Pondoland MPA are protected.” The trainees are all Mpondo women from villages surrounding the Mkambati reserve. They were selected from a squad of 24 put forward by the local chiefs and leaders forming part of the Mkambati Land Trust. “Two pre-selection courses were completed in 2025 and the current basic training will last for four weeks at an isolated, remote camp,” De Villiers said. “Drill, physical training, route marches, self-defence, bush survival, environmental law, conservation, tracking and other vital skills are being taught.” An aspect of the training was finding their confident “ranger voice” which assisted in dealing with a number of issues where male voices had to be confronted in situations of protecting sensitive environmental areas from trespassing, misdemeanours and crimes. They were also being trained to speak to the public and media and had open access to this side of their work. A film crew was visiting soon and would be interviewing the trainees. Another critical issue is handling water — Mkambati is legendary for its rivers which cascade into the sea. The trainees linked arms and sang as they waded through rivers under supervision. De Villiers said they would learn to swim later in further courses. Another aspect which amazed him was collaboration — thinner women who quickly improved their running times would assist the others, who would then assist them when it came to the push-ups and sit-ups. He said the trainees showed inspiring determination and were learning fast. “This is only part of ongoing selection and training that will include additional specialist courses such as the use of drones and technology in detecting poachers. “Sponsors include a German NPO, AMES [Africa’s Most Endangered Species] and GweGwe Lodge. “Most of the young women are already running sub-14-minute 2.4km trials and completing 30 push-ups and 30 sit-ups in a minute during daily PT sessions. “The passing out parade will be in mid-March. “We all wish these brave young women the best of luck as they endure the tough mental and physical challenges that they are being given. “I am confident that they will get through the basic training course and move on to other forms of training,” De Villiers said. Experts were also offering their skills, such as a poison specialist who would be coming to discuss how wildlife was affected by random and targeted poisoning. The Cape Vulture, or griffon, had been decimated by poisoning and now projects were in place to bring their numbers up, he said. Click here to join the Daily Dispatch’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone Daily Dispatch

Traditional leaders and the Mkambati Land Trust were central to the process, with co-governance highlighted as key to long-term sustainability.

The Ramsar status also underscores the importance of water security in the region, which relies largely on local rivers and aquifers rather than external sources.

Environmental programmes have already restored more than 1,400ha of wetlands in the province.

The designation comes as new conservation efforts take root at Mkambati.

The Daily Dispatch recently reported on the launch of the “Green Griffons”, a community-based environmental ranger group set to operate at the reserve, linking conservation to job creation and skills development.

The recognition sharpens the focus on how development in the area will be managed.

Singh urged stakeholders to view the designation as both an achievement and a responsibility.

“Let us take pride in this milestone and renew our shared commitment to protecting Mkambati’s wetlands — for today and future generations,” he said.

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