South Africa stands at a crossroads, demanding more than a change in ministry – it demands a restoration of trust and a return to pragmatic, home-grown solutions.
The appointment of Mr Willem Abraham Stephanus Aucamp as the new Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment brings a vital opportunity: to restore momentum and reposition conservation as a force for equity, inclusion and rural development.
We welcome Minister Aucamp and urge him to immediately take seriously the voices of those who live alongside wildlife. For too long, policies have been written in places such as Cape Town and Geneva, far removed from the realities of the field. If we are to move forward, leadership must start with listening. Conservation cannot be effective unless it is also just.
The breaking point: The quota decision and a failing tenure
To understand what must change, we must reflect on what went wrong.
The announcement by former minister Dion George not to set the 2024-2025 CITES export quotas for African elephant, black rhinoceros and leopard hunting trophies was not simply an administrative delay; it was a deliberate policy choice with far-reaching consequences. By refusing to issue quotas, the former minister effectively suspended one of South Africa’s most important science-based mechanisms for wildlife management.
This action was driven not by necessity, but by political appeasement.
Ideology trumps evidence
Quotas are not symbolic. They are the foundation of regulated, sustainable wildlife management – informed by biology, not belief. Their suspension sent a clear and dangerous signal: ideology now trumps evidence.
For decades, South Africa has been globally recognised for its sustainable use model. By halting quotas, George undercut the very system that has helped recover black rhino populations and maintain viable elephant and leopard habitats. The message was clear: the sacrifices and successes of communities and landholders could be discarded to appease external pressure.
Imported ideology, local cost
In biodiversity-rich but economically marginal areas, sustainable use is often the only viable land-use model. It generates employment, pays for infrastructure and is an integral part of the wildlife economy envisioned in the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy.
Without quotas, many conservation projects face collapse, opening the door to land conversion, illegal killing and habitat degradation. True inclusivity means recognising local custodianship, not enforcing a preservationist agenda written in Cape Town or Geneva.
The former minister’s decision appeared to be driven not by science, but by foreign animal-rights ideologies. By aligning with imported agendas that ignore local realities, George sacrificed national sovereignty.
George’s rhetoric at COP30 may have earned applause abroad, but it ignored the foundation of South African conservation success: community benefit from sustainable use. From the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area region to local game reserves, the principle is clear: conservation must be integrated with livelihoods to ensure wildlife survival outside a handful of fenced parks.
When wildlife no longer holds economic value for landowners and communities, the incentive to maintain wild habitats disappears. This is the dangerous path South Africa now faces. The result will not be more protection – it will be less habitat, fewer animals and greater conflict.
A minister absent from the people
Under George’s leadership, communities most affected by wildlife were treated as bystanders. Consultations were dominated by urban NGOs, while rural stakeholders were sidelined. This exclusion stood in sharp contrast to the principles of the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy, which promotes community ownership and benefit-sharing.
The former minister failed to create real opportunities for face-to-face engagement. No village meetings. No outreach to traditional leaders. His public positions were designed more to appease foreign audiences than to reflect domestic realities.
Misframing community engagement
Critics have labelled gatherings like the Bonamanzi Elephant Indaba as examples of “industry capture”. In truth, they are efforts to reset the balance toward practical wildlife management. Elephant populations in some areas are exceeding ecological carrying capacity, threatening ecosystems and human lives.
Controlled population management is not a moral failure. It is both an ecological responsibility and a duty to protect the safety and livelihoods of the people who live alongside wildlife.
What success looked like – Molewa’s vision
South Africa has not seen a truly inclusive Minister of Environmental Affairs since the tenure of the late Edna Molewa. Molewa understood that conservation without communities is conservation without a future.
She championed a wildlife economy rooted in access, ownership and empowerment, purposefully helping communities move from exclusion to participation. Her pragmatic approach brought traditional authorities, black landowners and private actors together in a shared vision of prosperity through biodiversity.
That inclusive model was reversed under George. True environmental justice means recognising the rights of those who live with wildlife to benefit from it. It means balanced, science-based, locally led management that integrates livelihoods with long-term ecological stewardship.
A message to Minister Aucamp – what we expect now
The appointment of Minister Aucamp offers an opportunity to restore the balance and momentum lost to ideological misdirection.
We urge Minister Aucamp to learn from the successes of Molewa, which proved conservation can be a force for equity, inclusion and rural development. Her legacy is one of pragmatic inclusion.
In sharp contrast, the tenure of former minister George provided a stark lesson in failure, demonstrating that imported agendas erode trust and sacrifice national sovereignty and local livelihoods.
The biodiversity economy strategy, endorsed by the African Union, affirms that responsible wildlife use can drive rural development and job creation. We urge Minister Aucamp to return to this foundation.
- Listen first: Engage meaningfully with the communities – not through top-down statements, but through direct dialogue, inclusion, and partnership.
- Restore justice: Restore sustainable use as a pillar of environmental justice. Responsible wildlife use – including regulated hunting, trade, and tourism – is recognised as a driver of rural development.
- Lead pragmatically: Focus on the need to integrate biodiversity with local livelihoods as a driver of shared prosperity.
As community leaders, we stand ready to work with the new minister in shaping a future where South Africa’s natural wealth benefits all – not just a privileged few. DM