Bolhuis supports fight to save South Africa's flamingo sanctuary
High-profile security and investigative specialist from Pretoria, Mike Bolhuis, expressed his deep concern over the state of Kamfers Dam in the Northern Cape near Kimberley.
The site has become a toxic wasteland.
'Addressing this crisis requires more than promises. It demands sustained oversight, real investment, and the political will to prioritise environmental justice,' Bolhuis said.
According to him, if left unchecked, the Kamfers Dam, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, will become a catastrophe that will serve as a warning of what is to come for other critical South African ecosystems already under threat.
He has been actively involved in efforts to expose the environmental degradation at Kamfers Dam for several years.
He assisted in a rescue operation in 2019 when a mass rescue of Lesser Flamingo chicks occurred at Kamfers Dam due to a severe drought. Many of these chicks were able to survive and were later returned to Kamfers Dam.
Bolhuis is lending his full support to the multi-stakeholder effort to save the dam.
This collaboration includes three organisations:
– BirdLife South Africa, which continues to raise awareness about the ecological significance of the dam,
– Ekapa Mining, which has invested in infrastructure and clean-up support, and
– Save the Flamingo Association, which has long campaigned for habitat protection and water quality improvements.
Local landowners and farmers have also voiced concern, particularly regarding the health risks posed by untreated effluent.
The Sol Plaatje Municipality faced serious legal pressure early this year when environmental groups and landowners brought the case before the Northern Cape High Court.
In April, the court granted an interdict compelling the municipality to halt all discharges, repair its infrastructure, and submit progress reports.
The first report was due end of May. The next court compliance report is due in August.
This united front underscores the urgency of protecting Kamfers Dam for the iconic Lesser Flamingos that depend on it, as well as for the health and dignity of nearby communities.
As one of only four known breeding sites for the Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) in Africa, the dam attracted up to 70 000 flamingos at its peak, including thousands of breeding pairs and hatchlings.
Bolhuis pointed out that the collapse is largely attributed to municipal negligence and unchecked pollution, particularly from the Homevale Wastewater Treatment Works, which for years released untreated or partially treated sewage into the dam.
By late 2024, an estimated 36 million litres of effluent per day flowed into Kamfers Dam.
By December last year, the discovery of over 130 bird carcasses, many infected with avian botulism, confirmed a biological disaster in progress.
According to Bolhuis, the flamingos have since disappeared.
'The artificial island is submerged, the water is toxic, and the birds are gone,' said Esther van der Westhuizen-Coetzer, a leading wetland ecologist at Ekapa Mining. 'This is a collapse, not a warning sign. We are already there.'
According to Van der Westhuizen-Coetzer, 'The May progress report was filed on time, and recent water testing suggests a gradual improvement. It's a start, but only a start. Not anything more.'
Bolhuis outlined urgent actions that need to be taken, such as immediate investment in sewage treatment infrastructure and independent as well as regular water quality testing with full publication of results.
The consequences are not limited to wildlife. Residents in nearby informal settlements now report chronic respiratory issues due to hydrogen sulphide emissions.
While the return of flamingos remains uncertain, conservationists are hopeful that sustained legal and civic pressure will prevent total collapse.
BirdLife South Africa has called for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature status of the Lesser Flamingo to be reviewed, citing Kamfers Dam's implosion as a potential catalyst for moving the species from near-threatened to vulnerable status.
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