‘Not Meant To Be Moved’: 5 Baobabs Uprooted in Limpopo After Halted Export Sparks Outrage

• Five baobab trees, some up to 300 years old, were uprooted in Limpopo and transported to Durban before authorities stepped in
• South African authorities blocked the export after the landscaper behind the shipment failed to produce valid permits
• The incident has reignited outrage over Africa's natural heritage after eight Kenyan baobabs sent to the same park reportedly died

Five ancient baobab trees spent three months lying on hot asphalt in a Durban parking lot after South African authorities stopped their export in July 2026. The trees, estimated to be between 200 and 300 years old, were uprooted from Limpopo's Lephalale area and transported to an Africa Global Logistics warehouse before officials intervened on 17 July.

An investigation published by Daily Maverick on 29 October linked the proposed shipment to Bidzina Ivanishvili, a Georgian billionaire and former prime minister who owns the Shekvetili Dendrological Park along Georgia's Black Sea coast. The park houses trees transported from across the world, alongside exotic birds and animals. Ivanishvili's involvement as the intended buyer has not been officially confirmed.

Read also

The Kiffness and Ian Cameron celebrate Donovan Marx's recovery after brutal farm attack

Permits missing, court case pending

According to Business Insider reports, authorities halted the export after Pretoria-based landscaper Corné Maré, who runs Divine Landscapes, could not produce valid permits for the trees' removal, transport and export. Maré has maintained that the baobabs came from private gardens with the owners' consent rather than from the wild. He appeared in the Durban Magistrates' Court in September on criminal charges related to the attempted export, with the case postponed until January for further investigation. A subsequent export licence application was rejected in July, and an appeal against that decision was dismissed on 27 October.

Kenya's warning from 2023

The Limpopo baobabs are not the first ancient African trees linked to Ivanishvili's park. In 2023, eight baobabs were uprooted along Kenya's Kilifi coastline for export to Georgia. The move drew public protests, and Kenyan President William Ruto ordered an investigation into its legality. Despite the backlash, the trees were shipped. All eight reportedly died shortly after arriving in Georgia.

Read also

46-year-old man arrested over threatening messages targeting Western Cape Premier Alan Winde

That history has deepened public anger over the five trees now stranded in Durban.

View the Facebook post below:

Africans react with outrage

Commenters on the African Diaspora International Facebook page had strong feelings about what nearly happened:

Tracy Daniel wrote:

"Good they should be left in their natural habitat."

Beverly Loxton-Barry asked:

"Who are the people trying to export these trees in the first place? 🤔"

Zaida Dinaully demanded:

"Declare the trees a national heritage and prosecute anyone who digs them up and sells them. Were the trees re-planted in their old places? Did they survive?"

Zaza Skosie said:

"Is there anything they won't steal from Africa? 😢"

Nicholas John May shared:

"We put a R20,000 immediate fine for removal of Baobabs in place around Messina on all mineral rights claims. Different scenario if they have been grown commercially but I have 2 that I grew and they are still really small after 20 years."

Read also

March and March denies violating court order during Durban Che Guevara Road incident

Robert Lee Marshall added:

"Those trees grow in Alkebulan for a reason. They were not meant to be moved."

More Briefly News stories on trees

• A South African woman assembles her Checkers Christmas tree alone, calling herself a ‘family of 1’. Her tradition inspires viewers and sparks price questions.
• Joburg’s jacaranda streets burst into purple in October 2026, as residents share nostalgic memories and exam-season jokes about the spring spectacle in bloom.
• Orania’s founders planted trees after buying the Karoo town in 1991; now followers are suggesting what should grow next, from date palms to wild figs and moringa.

Source: Briefly News