Information
Mthethomusha Nature Reserve is located within the Ehlanzeni South Region and is one of the three Community Conservation Areas that are managed by the MTPA. The owner of the land is the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development.
In “Traditional” land use terms, the land is controlled and utilised by the Mpakeni Tribal Authority. The Mpakeni Tribal Authority incorporates th communities of Mpakeni, Luphisi, Zwelisha and Daantjie.
In 1986 the Mpakeni Tribal Authority took a decision to develop Mthethomusha as a Nature Reserve. A partnership agreement is currently in place which authorises the MTPA to manage the reserve. The MTPA is therefore not a “custodian” of MTNR as in the case of provincial reserves such as Loskop Dam for example, but fulfils the role of a stakeholder, in that the MTPA is responsible by agreement to manage the Mthethomusha Nature Reserve.
The 7 500 ha Mthethomusha Nature Reserve (MNR) is leased from the Mpakeni Community by the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency. It is being managed and developed with the objective to provide for the sustainable consumptive and non-consumptive use of natural resources to benefit the Mpakeni community while as far as possible maintaining the biodiversity and ecological processes and functions within the ecosystem. Ecotourism has from the inception of the Reserve been considered as critical in delivering these benefits.
Activities
- Game Drive
