SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL FOR A RURAL COMMUNITY ON THE MAPUTALAND COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA

ABSTRACT

While conservation areas in South Africa protect natural resources, historically they have remained underdeveloped. As a result local communities have not benefited from tourism revenue and remain impoverished. With a new government dispensation in South Africa, efforts are being made through the Lumbobo Spatial Development Initiative to improve development in one of the most rural areas of South Africa: Maputaland. As part of a UNESCO project, research is being undertaken to assess sustainable development options in the region. After initial assessments, Mabibi, a small community within the region showed great potential since it has access to a large freshwater lake and coral reefs of the Indian Ocean. In this paper we describe the socio-economic status through results of qualitative surveys done within the community, tourists and conservation services staff. The majority of households in Mabibi are involved in subsistence farming even though soils are poor. Local people rely heavily on natural resources (fishing and hunting) to supplement their diet. Bureaucracy affects the development of both infrastructure and tourist projects in Mabibi. In 2004, the only tourist facility in Mabibi was a campsite. It shows a trend of increasing tourists over the past five years, suggesting a need for further projects. At the same time, land use patterns have shown that ecological services are being eroded by substance activities. The UNESCO project facilitated collaboration between the stakeholders (community, conservation services, environmentalists, developers and politicians) and new ecotourism projects have commenced. These will help free the local people from poverty and enable them to share the natural beauty and their culture.