Much is being made of job creation and the need for electricity in our country, I realise this however not at the cost of destruction while other alternatives are readily available.
My wife and I have been visiting our National Parks regularly since 1967, Augrabies is one of our wonders which has been carefully conserved and preserved by our National Parks authorities for many decades. Now a Hydro- Electric power generating facility is planned for construction in the Orange (Gariep) River a few kilometres upstream from the Augrabies National Park.
Few sights are as awesome or a sound as deafening as water thundering down the 56m Augrabies Waterfall when the Orange River is in full flood. The Khoi people called it ‘Aukoerebis’, or place of Great Noise, as this powerful flow of water is unleashed from rocky surroundings characterised by the 18km abyss of the Orange River Gorge.
Picturesque names such as Moon Rock, Ararat and Echo Corner are descriptive of this rocky region. Klipspringer and kokerboom (quiver trees) stand in stark silhouette against the African sky, silent sentinels in a strangely unique environment where only those that are able to adapt ultimately survive. The 55 383 hectares on both the northern and southern sides of the Orange River provide sanctuary to a diversity of species, from the very smallest succulents, birds and reptiles to Hartmann's mountain zebra, springbok, gemsbok and giraffe.
The >60 000 visitors to Augrabies (12.2% of visitors to our National Parks) per annum do not visit the park because it is there, they visit to experience and enjoy this wonders of a waterfall in an arid area. Augrabies is the sixth most visited National Park in the RSA.
The Orange River does not have a consistent high volume flow of water, it is dependent on rainfall upstream. In high rainfall seasons the falls are spectacular, during poorer periods flow is often reduced to not much more of a trickle over the falls.
Much is said in the EA documentation about the flow not being less than the required minimum for the flow through the Augrabies National Park. We all are well aware that our environment does not mean much when money is at stake. Wonderful EMP’s can be drawn up, but when the river flow diminishes sufficient mitigation will be improvised to use whatever is left in the river to keep the power station operational, why: because the people have gotten used to the electricity and now it cannot be cut. We are experiencing power outages now especially in winter also the drier months, the Northern Cape and the Orange River will not be spared.
There are much less harmful alternatives available, the Northern Cape is well known for having the most cloudless days with good sunshine per annum, and therefor solar energy could offer a guaranteed supply of non-destructive green energy for the inhabitants of the surrounding areas.
Wind energy is another source of non-destructive energy.
A Hydro Electric power station above the Augrabies National Park in the Orange River, will spell the end to one of our esteemed National Parks and also to the surrounding tourist industry.
Persons who also care for the environment and especially the arid Northern Cape are requested to register as Interested and Affected Parties (I&AP’s) with Shawn Johnston at email address: swjohnston@mweb.co.za and lodge their objections which will form part of the public participation process. Unfortunately time is running out.
Our Department of Environmental Affairs and our Government will now have the grand opportunity to prove to the RSA citizens and the world that they really care by not approving this project.
