The scorching summer months currently creeping in bring an upsurge in devastating mountain fires, which are often caused by religious groups performing their rituals in the mountains.
Daan van Leeuwen Boomkamp, commander of the Drakenstein Farm Watch (DFW) says year after year there are reports of farms close to the Du Toits Kloof mountain range burning due to mountain fires that get out of control, and year after year the cause is the same: as the eyewitnesses have it, people clothed in white robes going up mountains and lighting candles.
How it occurs
According to Van Leeuwen Boomkamp the last five years or so have seen an increase in religious groups observed going up these mountains, many of them identified as African Zionists.
“DWF has large groups of observers who are actually farmers with their binoculars trained on the mountains every day,” he said.
Invariably staying on the foothills of the Du Toits Kloof mountains, near the Huguenot Tunnel on Paarl’s side, they regularly spot “people dressed in white clothing” going up the mountains, Van Leeuwen Boomkamp said.
These sightings, he said, occur at least once a day and remain closely monitored by DFW’s observers.
Van Leeuwen Boomkamp said whenever there’s a fire in the mountains in and around Paarl, it is more than likely caused by illegal gatherings of religious groups, for which a permit has to be obtained that actually prohibits activities such as fires.
He said the groups enter with candles and on leaving, leave the burning candles planted in the ground. The flame may be spread by winds or the candle accidentally falls over onto flora.
However, he said, due to the expensive nature of the operations and lack of accountability from the local police as well as Cape Nature, the DFW has stopped responding to emergency calls relating to fires in the mountains and merely notifies the government entities about them rather than also assisting and “wasting” its own resources.
Van Leeuwen Boomkamp said lack of policing has given rise to illegal access specifically to the Du Toits Kloof mountains where many of these fires occur, and the Paarl police, which has jurisdiction over the Du Toits Kloof mountains on Paarl’s side, ideally should police the trespassers as soon as they enter the mountains.
However, he said, both police and Cape Nature struggle with enough manpower to enforce this, yet no concerted effort was being made to try and mitigate the situation.
Another challenge is that religious practitioners stay on the mountain, where they defecate and leave garbage as well as make small fires for cooking food and keeping warm.
According to Captain Louise du Plessis, spokesperson for Paarl police, members of the public have often called the police to report fires on Du Toits Kloof Pass.
“Paarl police in partnership with Cape Nature, Drakenstein Fire Department and Drakenstein Traffic regularly patrol the [mountain] area[s] during the summer months,” Du Plessis said, “to create awareness of the dangers of fires on the mountain and the theft out of motor vehicle incidents that occur.”
Cape Nature has on numerous occasions warned and fined members of the public in the mountain area.
According to Petro van Rhyn, general manager of Cape Nature, the organisation is aware that religious groups are responsible for fires in mountainous areas, where they make fires or light candles.
“The easy, uncontrolled access to the 35 km mountain pass and N1 Du Toits Kloof Pass makes it challenging to control,” he said. “CapeNature performs regular patrols in this area within the entity’s means. Trespassers on all CapeNature-managed property are directed back to the permit office.”
CapeNature has liaised with various role-players on the challenge. Local police stations have been informed and, together, an action plan is being put together for rolling out over the next few months.”
Jo-Anne Otto, spokesperson of the CWDM, said the municipality “is aware that many people visit the reserves without accessing a permit, which is problematic to all disaster, fire and rescue services.”
She said the CWDM can confirm religious groups are the trespassers who are to blame for mountain fires.
“The CWDM can confirm this has occurred on occasion. However, it is important to note other people also visit mountain trails and areas, but they are just as likely to make a fire for food preparation, despite the dire consequences to themselves and the reserve. There are far more people making use of the natural areas for social reasons than those visiting for religious purposes.”
Anyone who notices a wildfire is encouraged to report it to CWDM’s emergency number on 021 886 4447.
African Zionism
African Zionism consists of four main churches, namely the Zion Christian Church, Nazareth Baptist Church, the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and St John’s Apostolic Faith Mission.
The members of this specific religion are known as African Zionists, a South African sect or denomination.
According to the academic paper African Zionism and its contribution to African Christianity in South Africa, written by Kelebogile Resane, the religious beliefs encapsulated in African Zionism “evolve around a shrine or a cultic centre” such as a mountain where a “nearness to God” can be felt.
Concerning the burning of the candles, it was explained the smoke from the flame serves as a purification of the soul.
The two elements, together, see that the pilgrims return as “a different person”, Resane said, both by connecting with God and being purified by the smoke of the candle.
