BETHLEHEM, Free State – The Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs faces mounting pressure to intervene urgently at Wolhuterskop Nature Reserve in Bethlehem, where years of municipal neglect have created an ecological crisis threatening wildlife welfare and the reserve’s sustainability.
Municipal mismanagement has left the reserve’s game population dangerously exceeding its ecological carrying capacity by 150%, according to a recent count conducted by South African National Parks (SANParks).
Critical details emerged during a Section 80 Community Services Portfolio Committee meeting on 2 July, revealing the severity of the situation. SANParks recommends the urgent removal of 1 200 blesbok and 40 eland to restore ecological balance, but the window for action is rapidly closing.
The municipality reports very low income from Wolhuterskop, yet repeated Democratic Alliance (DA) requests for updates on culling or tender processes have largely gone unanswered. In a shocking response in October, municipal officials declared they were “waiting for supply chain to advertise.”
When the DA contacted a professional hunter for clarification, they confirmed it is now too late to consider any culling operations.
The game overpopulation is degrading the veld, threatening animal welfare, reducing biodiversity, and undermining the reserve’s potential as a revenue-generating public asset. The situation demands a comprehensive strategy to restore Wolhuterskop as both a functional ecological and economic asset.
Such a strategy should include revenue plans encompassing tourism and eco-activities, conservation planning, and sustainable game management practices.
“There is no more time for bureaucratic foot-dragging. We commit to applying rigorous oversight and public pressure to ensure that Wolhuterskop is managed with ecological integrity, transparency, and accountability,” says Councillor Estie Senekal, DA Councillor for Dihlabeng Municipality.
The crisis highlights broader concerns about municipal capacity to manage environmental assets whilst balancing conservation needs with economic sustainability.
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