Model 4: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods are used equally
6.2 THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AGENCY APPROACH
6.2.2 UMkhanyakude District Municipality
6.2.2.3 Missed opportunity
The key drivers of the local economy are agriculture, services, tourism and retail.
Agro-processing has potential, but this has yet to be realized as a key driver.
UMkhanyakude forms part of the Lubombo Trans-frontier Conservation Area. This conservation area includes South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. The Tembe- Futi portion of the Lubombo Trans-frontier Conservation Area falls within uMkhanyakude, with Ndumo and Tembe Elephant Park forming major attractions.
UMkhanyakude has applied for the entire district to be declared as a Biosphere Reserve, ensuring that all economic development is in line with conservation principles.
The Jozini Dam forms an integral part of the economy of the region. It draws its water from Maputaland's Pongola River, which has a series of oxbow lakes and pans teeming with fish and bird life. Tiger fishing from luxurious house boats is a popular attraction. The dam, which is one of the largest in the country, is an under-exploited tourism resource in the area. The Muzi Lake, boat and canoeing projects also offer invaluable development potential [http://www.kzntopbusiness.co.za (2010)].
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In exploiting the opportunities offered by Lubombo Trans-frontier Conservation Area, the Department of Economic Development and Tourism has initiated a number of programmes within uMkhanyakude District Municipality to ensure that local communities within this district reap tourism benefits.
These initiatives include the establishment of the East3Route which is an initiative that combines South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland, funding of Umthayi Festival or the Marula Festival which is an initiative that involves the Tembe community and Mozambique, funding of the feasibility study and business plan to develop tourism at Usuthu Gorge, funding of the development of Ingodini Border Cave as a tourism attraction, funding of the business plan and feasibility study for the improvement of tourism products at Dukuduku near St Lucia at leveraging of finding for the development of Muzi Pan Canoeing project and Hlathikhulu Trails projects from the national departments of tourism and environmental affairs respectively.
However, the involvement of uMkhanyakude District Municipality and Umhlosinga Development Agency in these projects is very minimal, close to non-existent.
UMkhanyakude is also one of four district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal that were selected as presidential nodes to redirect public funding to priority areas for poverty alleviation [http://www.kzntopbusiness.co.za, (2010)]. However the municipality is not leveraging on this status in developing tourism. The provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism has approached the national Department of Tourism to assist this municipality in developing rural tourism using its status of being a presidential poverty node. The national Department of Tourism has committed in funding two rural tourism projects.
On the other hand, uMkhanyakude District Municipality is home to a large concentration of game and nature reserves in the province as indicated in Figure 6.1.
The structure of the South African government system is designed so that district and local municipalities are the implementation arms of government. In respect of this
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and taking into consideration that ultimately, KZN Wildlife is accountable to government for the resources allocated to manage the biodiversity of the province, it is important that the projects undertaken by the organization take cognisance of the district municipality's priorities as well as their own [http://www.kznwildlife.com, (2010)].
FIGURE 6.1: GAME AND NATURE RESERVES WITHIN UMKHANYAKUDE
[Source: www.kznwildlife.com (2010)]
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UMkhanyakude District Municipality claim to fame is the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) World Heritage Site, as well as a number of large protected areas namely the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Ndumo Game Reserve and the Tembe Elephant Park (www.kznwildlife.com). There are also other community conservation areas within uMkhanyakude District Municipality such as Mbangweni Community Conservation Area, Mabaso Community Conservation Area, Usuthu Gorge Community Conservation Area and Mpembeni Community Conservation Area.
Notwithstanding, the uMkhanyakude District Municipality is not working closely with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Isimangaliso Wetland Park and communities responsible for the community conservation areas. This has led to a number of the community conservation areas failing to be sustainable as there was no support either from uMkhanyakude District Municipality or local municipalities where these facilities are located. Figure 6.1 above, indicates that uMkhanyakude District Municipality is rich in both its natural wildlife and terrestrial ecosystems but also boasts two marine protected areas and rich diving attractions. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is responsible for conservation management within these protected areas and also plays an active role within the district. A number of district conservation officers offer expert advice to private and community landowners in either game farm management or conservation issues. A community conservation team drives the conservation awareness and community partnerships focus for the organisation. They actively interact with local communities and municipalities [http://www.kznwildlife.com, (2010)].
However, uMkhanyakude District Municipality and Umhlosinga Development Agency have no plans to exploit these natural attributes for the tourism development, especially for communities living around these protected areas. The lack of leadership in terms of tourism planning an development in the area has caused tourism development to be a missed opportunity, not only for the people of uMkhanyakude District Municipality but for the province of KwaZulu-Natal as whole.
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There is therefore a need for tourism planners in KwaZulu-Natal to ensure that there is an institutional capacity building for municipalities such as uMkhanyakude District Municipality, for both politicians and officials to assist them in identifying tourism opportunities in their communities. Tourism planners in KwaZulu-Natal are also expected to assist municipalities such as uMkhanyakude District Municipality to forge working relationships with surrounding countries such as Swaziland and Mozambique to ensure that there are cross-border partnerships in terms of tourism development (DEDT-LGSP, 2009)