STATEMENT ON THE KGASWANE COUNTRY LODGE MAGALIESBERG PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT

The Magaliesberg Protection Association (MPA) is pursuing a judicial review in the Mafikeng High Court to set aside the environmental authorisation of the Kgaswane Country Lodge, a ± 50 bedroom hotel built illegally in a 'highly sensitive' area of the Magaliesberg Protected Environment (MPE). Despite the development being designated as an 'incompatible activity' by the Department's own Environmental Management Framework (EMF), the MEC dismissed the MPA's appeal on 5 February 2010. The MPA's legal action, filed on 4 August 2010, seeks an interdict to stop ongoing construction and an order for the lodge's demolition and environmental rehabilitation. The MPA estimates the total legal costs at approximately R300,000, funded through donations and guarantees from organisations including the MCSA and the Johannesburg Hiking Club.

• The Kgaswane Country Lodge, a ± 50 bedroom hotel, was constructed illegally within the Magaliesberg Protected Environment (MPE) at Olifantsnek and was later granted belated approval via Section 24 G of the National Environmental Management Act on 9 March 2009.
• The development contradicts the Environmental Management Framework (EMF) for the MPE, which classifies the lodge's location as "highly sensitive" and lists hotels, lodges, and conference centres as "incompatible activities".

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2010). STATEMENT ON THE KGASWANE COUNTRY LODGE MAGALIESBERG PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MPA-Statement-on-Kgaswane-Lodge-August-2010.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. STATEMENT ON THE KGASWANE COUNTRY LODGE MAGALIESBERG PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT. 2010. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MPA-Statement-on-Kgaswane-Lodge-August-2010.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=STATEMENT ON THE KGASWANE COUNTRY LODGE MAGALIESBERG PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT |date=7 August 2010 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MPA-Statement-on-Kgaswane-Lodge-August-2010.pdf?x21779 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2010statement, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{STATEMENT ON THE KGASWANE COUNTRY LODGE MAGALIESBERG PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2010}, month = aug, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MPA-Statement-on-Kgaswane-Lodge-August-2010.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }