CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 3
3.5 ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ATTRIBUTES
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75 3.5.1 Agriculture
It was indicated earlier in this chapter that the soils in the Town of St Lucia and Surroundings, are relatively fertile and could maintain planting a commercial crop as well as a vegetable garden. Notwithstanding this benefit, the people of Ezwenelisha Village and Khula Village, also known as Dukuduku Settlement, are not enthusiastic or proficient vegetable growers. There are two vegetable gardens and an orchard at Khula Village. Poultry is also kept, bee-farming and indigenous tree-planting projects operate in some of the villages. All these projects are facilitated by KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture, SiyaQhubeka Forests (Pty) Ltd.
3.5.2 Infrastructure
On the whole, existing infrastructure, such as roads, electricity, health facilities, transportation and water reticulation, in the Surrounding areas: Ezwenelisha, Village and Khula Village are found in the developed municipal areas. There is only the main road which is tarred from Mtubatuba to St. Lucia Town that goes between Khula Village and Ezwen’elisha Village. There are also access gravel roads that lead to the three villages. There are no health clinics at these villages;
instead there are mobile clinics that comes on certain days of the week from Mtubatuba. The mobile clinic uses an old buildings in the areas.
The three villages in the study area do not have adequate recreation and tourism facilities for their inhabitants, let alone for tourists. What was observed is that there were a few informal soccer grounds that are very small in size when compared to ordinary official-size soccer grounds. There are no official soccer grounds and most of the existing grounds are soil-covered, none have a lawn or
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grass finish. Soccer is the most popular sport, yet it is poorly provided for.
[AFRA, 2008; http://www.southafrica. info/stlucia.htm. (2007)]
3.5.3 Accommodation
The provision of accommodation for tourists is one of the leading activities that brings most of the revenue for the people of the Town of St Lucia. The park authorities are the leading accommodation providers followed by the business sector, and then the private individuals. It has been indicated that the community members at Khula and Ezwenelisha Villages have very little tourist accommodation in the study area. There are also Zulu cultural huts that accommodate tourists as well as some modern houses that can accommodate visiting people. Accommodation is becoming one of the ways in which Khula and Ezwenelisha Villagers can get money into the area.
3.5.4 Cultural Activities
The Town of St Lucia and the Estuary [in the context of iSimangaliso Wetland Park] is known world-wide for its World Heritage Site status. It is this status and the attribute that is responsible for many tourists visiting the area. Small scattered settlements of the Sokhulu people existed between Sodwana and the St. Lucia estuary, evidenced by several traditional burial sites. These people can be linked to the present day villagers of Khula and Ezwenelisha, and may have smelted bog iron, felling trees to produce charcoal for their smelters.
It is noteworthy that a number of tourism activities are located in and around the tribal areas as well as in Khula and Ezwenelisha Villages. These include arts and craft making, historical/ cultural activities, cultural events and guest entertainment. Historical and cultural sites have not been identified or recorded.
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The game and nature reserve activities have taken more attention than any other recreation or tourism activities. According to the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority, approximately 25% of all foreign tourists who visit the province visit the Zulu cultural villages north of the Tugela River. International tourists visiting the Khula and Ezwenelisha Villages have shown interest in cultural activities like Indlamu (Zulu dance), Isicathamiya (Traditional group singing) and others. The community members have organised themselves into groups that perform cultural entertainment in different areas of the village, so as to get money.
In the areas of Khula and Ezwenelisha Villages that are characterised by poverty, the money that is brought in by cultural activities performances, craftworks, and isicathamiya has not gone unnoticed by the community. The income generated by these activities has influenced them to change their thinking positively towards them. At the local schools the environmental education, cultural activities and craftwork have been added to their curriculum.
These developments are helping the local youth at an early stage to position themselves since tourism is becoming the popular industry in the area.
3.5.5 Craft work
The people of Khula and Ezwenelisha Villages are very skilful in craft making.
The tourists visiting the area are also very impressed and are prepared to buy the crafts and artefacts. It is from this perspective that the local people are producing craftwork that impresses the tourists and at the same affects some of the endangered trees, animals and plants.
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It is clear that the professional support and training facilitated by the iSimangaliso Park Authorities, has helped empower the people of Khula and Ezwenelisha Villages in the field of art. There are also local arts organisations and cultural institutions that take samples of the local artwork to bigger markets outside the area.