Impact on ecotourism by water pollution in the Olifants River catchment, South Africa

Abstract

Ecotourism has developed rapidly in recent years to become one of South Africa’s largest income generator. State and private game reserves have become global players in attracting tourists from around the world. In addition to possessing two of the world’s most renowned wildlife reserves, the Kruger National Park and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa contains over 20 National Parks, about 30 smaller regional parks and numerous private game reserves and game lodges. The Olifants River, often described as one of the most “hard-working” rivers in South Africa, is one of the main river basins in the Mpumalanga Province and is regionally important to the ecotourism industry as source of water. Lake Loskop, a reservoir situated in the Mpumalanga Province is fed by the Olifants and Wilge Rivers, and serves as a large repository for pollutants from the upper catchment of the Olifants River system. Lake Loskop forms part of the 25,000 ha Loskop Nature Reserve, which is situated in the upper Olifants River catchment. The total area of the catchment draining into Lake Loskop is 11,464 km2. Land use in the catchment is dominated by extensive coal mining in the Witbank Coalfields, which are located in the headwaters of the Olifants River, upstream of Lake Loskop, as well as mineral processing.