A ministerial inspection of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden reveals that recent mismanagement claims are overstated.
Minister Willie Aucamp led the visit on Wednesday, 10 June. Prof Eugene Moll, a renowned plant ecologist, botanist and former University of Cape Town professor, joined him. So did South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi) chief executive Shonisani Munzhedzi.
Social media sparked the outcry
The visit follows a public outcry sparked by a social media campaign. James Deacon launched the campaign after filing formal complaints about the garden in February this year.
Sanbi met Deacon and walked through the garden with him. Both parties agreed they had resolved the matter. Shortly after an acquaintance of Deacon’s lost his job at Sanbi, Deacon reignited the same allegations online. Aucamp called his conduct unconstructive and misleading.
Expert gives garden a thumbs up
Moll had previously raised concerns about Kirstenbosch during a television interview. After the inspection, he said what he found surprised him.
“I hadn’t realised that the facilities at Kirstenbosch are up to the standard that they are now,” Moll said.
He confirmed that earlier concerns about the succulent collection stemmed from problems the garden faced months ago. Staff have since resolved those issues. Moll added that he hopes visitors will flood back as the Minister’s directives take effect.
Team inspects seed bank and nurseries
The group inspected the garden’s seed bank, succulent collection and all nursery facilities. This gave them first-hand insight into the scientific and conservation work under way at the institution.
“Although there are challenges that have got to be addressed, this visit confirmed that recent reports suggesting widespread mismanagement and decline at Kirstenbosch are not completely accurate and do not reflect the overall state of the garden,” said Aucamp.
What happens next
Aucamp warned against treating the visit as a box-ticking exercise. “This must not become a window-dressing exercise. My priority is to ensure that Kirstenbosch’s scientific, conservation and horticultural assets are properly maintained and protected so that future generations can continue to benefit from them,” he said.
The Minister has given Sanbi several improvement targets. These include rebuilding a volunteer programme and strengthening succession planning. Sanbi will also expand expert partnerships and develop new conservation-linked revenue streams.
Aucamp stressed that concerns about national assets must receive serious attention. “Any issues relating to our national environmental assets deserve careful consideration and constructive engagement,” he said.
Sanbi will continue to welcome volunteers, specialists, researchers and interested stakeholders.
Minister backs Kirstenbosch team
Aucamp expressed confidence in the garden’s staff. “Based on what I witnessed during this visit, I remain extremely positive about the calibre, dedication and expertise of the professionals working at Kirstenbosch,” he said. “As minister, I remain committed to strengthening our botanical gardens and ensuring that these world-class institutions continue to serve South Africans and visitors from around the globe.”
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