13 May 2007
South Africa's first World Heritage Site, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park,
has a new name that better reflects its unique identity and sense of place.
After an extensive consultation process, the name has been approved by the
National Cabinet and was gazetted on Friday, 11 May 2007, in terms of the World
Heritage Convention Act and will be effective from 1 November 2007.
Minister Van Schalkwyk said "We are delighted to have a new name that will
take the Park into the future. The new name is iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This
will be integrated with the launch later this year of our new branding linked
to specific marketing, advertising and public relations activities."
The Minister initiated public discussion at Indaba 2005 to find a new name.
This was followed by advertisements in the local, provincial and national media
requesting proposed names for the Wetland Park and advertised public meetings
which were held at Mtubatuba, Mbazwana and Durban. Ten thousand briefing
documents were widely circulated amongst the tourism trade, local communities,
park user groups and members of the public. There was also wide coverage on
radio and in newspapers. In addition, a series of pre-consultation meetings
were held with land claimants, traditional councils and local municipalities.
Input was also requested from historians and linguists. Over 60 proposed names
were received.
The proposed names were considered by the Board of the Greater St Lucia
Wetland Park Authority. In accordance with the World Heritage Convention Act,
the matter was then referred to the Minister, who after consultation with the
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) MEC for Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs
and MEC for Agriculture and Environment, referred it to National Cabinet for
final decision.
The Minister said "We believed the 220 000 hectare Wetland Park had outgrown
the name of St Lucia, linked to the town and lake of the same name. The
consolidated boundaries of the park now include a third of the length of the
KwaZulu-Natal coastline and destinations such as Kosi Bay, Lake Sibaya, Sodwana
Bay, uMkhuze Game Reserve, False Bay, Fannies Island, Charters Creek, Lake St
Lucia, Cape Vidal and Mapelane. In addition internationally, the island of St
Lucia in the Caribbean, with its own newlyâlisted World Heritage Site, has a
very strong market presence, which dilutes the brand value of our St Lucia
Wetland Park.
"In the broad consultations throughout the past two years it was clear that
there was overwhelming support to change the name. It was widely accepted that
the description of Wetland Park be retained and be linked with a descriptive
indigenous word. The word iSimangaliso has rich historical context. Ujeqe was
King Shaka's insila (aide who keeps all the King's secrets and gets buried with
the King when the King dies). He fled after uShaka's death to avoid the
customary burial with his master. He wandered into Thongaland, present-day
Maputaland and came back saying, "I saw wonders and miracles in the flat land
and lakes of Thonga". From that follows an isiZulu saying that if you have seen
miracles, you have seen what uJeqe saw, Ubone isimanga esabonwa uJeqe kwelama
Thonga." Ujeqe might just have been one of the first tourists to visit what is
now the iSimangaliso Wetland Park."
Enquiries:
Blessing Manale
Chief Director: Communications
Cell: 083 677 1630
Riaan Aucamp
Ministry: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Cell: 083 778 9923
Pontso Pakkies
Media Officer
Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority
Cell: 083 760 3667
E-mail: wetlandmedia@ mweb.co.za
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
13 May 2007
