Impending development of Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone ‘constitutes an emergency’, say scientists

The MMSEZ, which was designated in 2017, comprises a northern light industrial site near Musina, focused on manufacturing, agro-processing and logistics sectors, and a southern heavy industrial site focused on mainly steel manufacturing.

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23-01-2023
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Mail & Guardiam
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The development of the proposed Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) in Limpopo threatens the heritage integrity of the Mapungubwe cultural landscape, a Unesco-inscribed world heritage site, which lies in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve (VBR).

This is according to the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage), which is housed in the Academy of Science of South Africa.

“The development of the MMSEZ will degrade critically biodiverse areas and irrevocably threaten the ecological integrity and conservation goals of the VBR, a designated Unesco biosphere reserve,” the Sage sub-committee on the environmental and heritage implications of the MMSEZ said.

It consists of Aliza le Roux and Peter J Taylor of the University of the Free State, Stefan Foord and Lutendo Mugwedi of the University of Venda, Lauren Liebenberg, of Living Limpopo, John Rosmarin, of the VBR, Keagan Pokpas of the University of Western Cape, Sershen Naidoo, of the Institute of Natural Resources and Jerome Amir Singh, of Sage.

The MMSEZ, which was designated in 2017, comprises a northern light industrial site near Musina, focused on manufacturing, agro-processing and logistics sectors, and a southern heavy industrial site focused on mainly steel manufacturing. The zone is north of the Soutpansberg on the Musina-Makhado municipal boundary.

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