No

Issue

Pertinent point

1

Lack of/poor infrastructure and access to tourist assets

· poor roads,

· the estuary mouth is closed,

· fresh drinking water is only available to those with boreholes,

· lack of/inadequate service delivery, for example, refuse collection and lack of braai facilities, to name a few.

· urban communities can take greater advantage of opportunities because they have more infrastructure than the rural communities.

2

Regulatory

· fishing licences and IWPA allegedly blocking the community from participating/accessing the sea.

· The workshop participants strongly believed that government must review IWPA jurisdiction or control of the coastline in order to allow access for local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and ordinary citizens to participate in and benefit from the value chain associated with the coastal park without compromising on nature (environment) conservation. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority gives limited access to ordinary community members and even the municipality is not given full access.

3

Access to Government offices e.g., South African Revenue Services (SARS) is limited,

· hence business registration requirements and licences to operate are hard to meet or obtain, respectively.

4

Violence against community members

· People fishing at Nkundisa have allegedly been shot by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife security personnel.

5

Natural phenomena

· Occasional droughts

6

Lack of awareness of the CMT value chain

· due to lack of training and the sector not being promoted to rural communities.

7

Inequitable access to opportunities and infrastructure

· there are many white-owned businesses that are involved in CMT, but black-owned businesses are limited to marine tour guiding.

· -Opportunities and sporting activities presented by Jozini Dam and other dams within the district seem to be preserved for white people.

· -It was reported that black people are not given access and permission to build their establishments nearby dams, yet their white counterparts are doing so.

8

Reputational damage of emerging businesses

· big businesses have allegedly been painting a poor picture of rural and township areas, especially black-owned businesses. As a result, tourists are sceptical about working with black-owned businesses based in rural/township areas.

· The tour guide companies that venture into rural areas escort the tourists with heavily armed security personnel.

· When a rural or township person tries to start a marine tour guide business, big businesses often try to “swallow it” by merging with it.

· If they refuse, the big business owners advise tourists not to use that company.

· Everything associated with a black person, or the black community tends to get associated with crime.