RENOWNED wildlife and environment painter Larry Benjamin Norton last week exerted renewed pressure on Zimbabwean and Zambian authorities to stop more commercial enterprises being set up within the precincts of Victoria Falls, amid growing concern that such developments could cost the iconic site its world heritage status.
Norton, a Zimbabwean national and Victoria Falls resident, filed a High Court application in 2022 seeking to stop Adage Success and Scanner Investments from developing commercial enterprises at the heart of the Victoria Falls, arguing that the business ventures would disrupt the ecological and aesthetic beauty of the global spectacle.
Judgement on the legal dispute case number, HC3576/22, in which the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) and the Environmental Management Authority (Ema) are cited as key respondents among others, is yet to be handed down.
Last week, Norton presented his fresh concerns to Zambian and Zimbabwean representatives attending a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) meeting held at a local hotel in the resort town to deliberate on strategies to preserve its world heritage status.
Broadly, the JTC meeting was meant to deliberate on the Victoria Falls’ world heritage status.
The Victoria Falls, which is shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, was accorded world heritage status by Unesco in 1989.
In 2022, Unesco warned that Victoria Falls risked losing its heritage status due to “individual and cumulative infrastructure developments” in restricted zones within the margins of the world’s largest waterfall.
In a document seen by the Independent, Norton drew the attention of Zambian and Zimbabwean delegates to a myriad of commercial developments which he claimed threatened to discredit Victoria Falls.
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“At the outset we are all aware that the fragile Mosia Tunya/Victoria Falls world heritage site is under threat from developments and commercialisation on both sides of the river,” he said in a presentation to the meeting.
“Over two years ago myself and nine other applicants brought an urgent application to stop the commercialisation of the Cataract Islands by Adage Success and Zimparks and the construction of the Baines restaurant by Victoria Falls Investments.”
In his High Court application Norton, a globally renowned painter, maintained that the public was not consulted when rights to develop business sites in the sensitive areas of the Victoria Falls were granted to a number of firms.
“We maintain that no proper public consultations occurred with these operations and that Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) were defective.
“For the Cataract Island operation, a number of previous operators’ applications were turned down by Zimparks for environmental reasons,” wrote Norton.
Norton’s written submission was also furnished to Zimparks Victoria Falls area manager Marvellous Mbikiyana.
Citing a musical concert held in 2023 at the Cataract Island, Norton argued that the show organisers abused the site while triggering outrage from stakeholders.
“In early December 2023 the operators of Cataract Island clearly abused the island by facilitating a music event for a well-known European pop group. Videos of this outrageous abuse of the island went viral with broad condemnation from stakeholders and agents,” stated Norton.
“How can the authorities allow such an event? We stress the need to verify coordinates and place beacons around the world heritage site and we emphasise on the need to develop a blueprint of infrastructure development for the Victoria Falls. We further direct the Joint Technical Committee to finalise development of site maps.”
Some of the sites in the resort town which Norton indicated were under threat from commercial developments include the “Big Tree”, Rock Pool, Rainforest and Islands.
Norton questioned: “What is the agreement between Zambia and Zimbabwe on the so far untouched islands upstream of the falls itself? Why is there no transparent discussion on this? Are they up for grabs? Have they been allocated?”
“It is very difficult to understand why there is no discussion…on the limits of development of the Mosia Tunya world heritage site.”
He warned that if corrective remedy is not taken, future generations will blame authorities for ruining the Victoria Falls.
“I would ask that these points be noted and added to the minutes and documentation of the State of Conservation report in the interest of truth and transparency,” Norton underscored.
“If we fail to draw clear lines that offer absolute and permanent protection to this(site)…then we fail our own children and all future generations who will visit here.”
Last year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the 45th Unesco World Heritage Committee conference also discussed Zimbabwe’s top money-spinning asset in the tourism sector over its “conservation” status.
“On the basis of the reports already published in documents…as well as the written requests sent by committee members to the chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, through the World Heritage Centre…this document presents the list of state of conservation reports proposed for discussion by the World Heritage Committee at its extended 45th session,” the conference’s program read.
“On the basis of the reports already published in documents and the written requests received to date from Committee members, the following state of conservation reports are proposed for discussion: Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (Zambia, Zimbabwe) (discussion requested by South Africa).”
The Victoria Falls, known in vernacular as Mosi a Tunya which translates to “the Smoke that thunders,” attracts over a million visitors annually.
