THE 22 000HA MANKETTI GAME RESERVE AROUND OUR GROOTEGELUK OPERATION OPTIMISES LAND USE WHILE PROTECTING THE OPERATION'S SUSTAINABILITY.
Managed by Ferroland Grondtrust, a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxaro, the land was a cattle farm until 18 years ago when indigenous wildlife species were introduced. The thriving game reserve generates income from commercial hunting and game trading as well as accommodation provided by the Manketti Lodge.
1
Commercial
hunting
2
Manketti
Lodge
3
Live game
trading
Income available to service Exxaro sustainability goals
Manketti
inputs
Generates own operating income
Currently no active cross-funding from another BU
Manketti
outputs
Provides biodiversity management, environmental sustainability and offset area
Protects and manages
Grootegeluk properties at own expense
Exxaro
inputs
Zero direct financial input
Provides some auxiliary services and support
Exxaro
benefits
22 000 hectare biodiversity conservation real estate under management and protection
Improved environmental sustainability profile
Manketti is managed according to a protected area management plan — updated annually with assessments of vegetation condition,
alien plant control and animal population.
The game reserve is home to a variety of large predators, including leopard, lion and cheetah. It is one of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's "cheetah safe spaces". Smaller predators include the black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, civet, African wildcat, caracal and honey badgers, among others. Reptiles include the African rock python, black mamba, striped skink and leopard tortoise. Birds include vulture species, the orange-breasted bush shrike and raptors. Invertebrates include the baboon and trap-door spiders as well as scorpions. Amphibians are represented by the giant African bullfrog. We partner with Reptile Rescue to capture and release reptiles into their natural habitat.
Animal and floral species (manketti, marula, shepherd's, camelthorn, violet, leadwood and tamboti trees as well as succulents, bush lilies and the desert rose) are monitored and managed in terms of provincial and national regulations.
Our Thabametsi mining and power generation projects would have impacted a significant number of protected trees without an offset on 4 000ha of protected woodland in the Manketti game reserve.
Erosion control and topsoil protection are also managed in the game reserve.
Depressions in soils with high clay content become natural wetlands when it rains. These pans are managed as part of larger wetland systems. Manketti also participates in conservation of critically endangered vultures. We aim to limit powerline collision-related deaths, provide safe feeding sites and tag vultures for research.
EDUCATION AND INTERNSHIPS
Manketti's future includes further education of Waterberg communities. Young Lephalale learners already visit the game reserve every year and engage positively with rangers. A nature conservation and wildlife management internship is also available since 2019 for employment in most conservation fields.
