An open letter to the President (GSSA) and Editor of the Geobulletin

摘要

Finally, after 8 months rumour-mongering, it is confirmed: Maarten de - Wit admitted that he is responsible for what many in the GSSA and out-J side regard as Geovandalisrn -the extensive drilling of the Komati River section in Songimvelo Game Reserve. I must admit that I did not expect anything else from his statement than what we got: an extensive treatise of the importance of his research, culminating in what can be summarised as "science first, at all expense". 1 did not think that I would have to reply to this, in the hope that we could concentrate now on finding legal and practical solutions that would diminish the risk of having future "geovandalism" problems (as emphasized in my recent article on the GSSA website, which incidentally had been submitted to the last issue of Geobulletin, weeks before the deadline, but is only included now with this current issue). However, having been cited -actually misquoted describes it better - by Maarten de Wit, I have no option but to respond.