Tourism, R Mabudafhasi at the West Coast National Park Project launch
3 April 2006
Programme Director
General Manager for the Duinepos Chalets, Ms Janine Samuaels
Regional Manager for SANparks Cape Cluster, Mr Dary de Kock
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Until the 1990s, the coast was seen or valued purely on the basis of its
bio-physical characteristics and managed under a regulatory framework that
excluded most of the communities from actively participating and benefiting
from it. Furthermore there was no coherent national policy with respect to
coastal management, and very few of those who derived a livelihood from the
coast were consulted in its governance.
However, in the run up to democracy, there was a need to develop a more
holistic view of the coast: one that better balanced maintenance of its fragile
ecology with its important role as a contributor to the social and economic
development of coastal communities, and to South Africaâs reconstruction and
development, in a sustainable manner.
There were no pre-existing guidelines for policy development at sectoral
level in the new South Africa, donor engagement was still fairly low, most
significantly, the introduction of people-centred, pro-poor development,
represented an entirely new thinking for many of the institutions involved.
The publication of the April 2000 White Paper for Sustainable Coastal
Development in South Africa was a remarkable step forward. This was the result
of an unprecedented process of public participation, research and analysis and
set out a radically different vision of coastal management. One that is valued
for its contribution to sustainable development by putting people at the centre
of coastal policy and championed integrated management of coastal resources
across sectors and disciplines as well as across all tiers of government.
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism as the lead agency
provides national leadership for the implementation of this White Paper. The
department works closely with partners from national, provincial and local
governments, non-governmental and community-based organisations, the private
sector and other interested stakeholder groups.
Programme Director, the Plan of Action of the White Paper included the
implementation of projects. Fifteen of the Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods
projects were initiated between the year 2002 and 2005 in a suite of categories
identified by the Department, which would speak to our priority areas and Key
Strategic Interventions, for example:
* create conditions for sustainable tourism growth and development
* promote the conservation and sustainable development of natural resources
and
* protect and improve the quality and safety of the environment
These projects also needed to speak to Vision 2014, which seeks to reduce
poverty and unemployment as well as develop and provide skills and
transformation of societies of previously disadvantaged groups, as well as
meeting Governmentâs responsibility of growing the economy by encouraging
investment in ventures such as we see today.
We have come a long way from the first ideas for this project, to where
guests are accommodated comfortably in beautiful surroundings today. Programme
Director, the Duinepos Chalets Project is one that relies on the partnerships
between National Government, SANParks, Provincial Government and communities of
the West Coast.
In line with the departments policy of developing a working relation with
communities living around the parks, it is envisaged that this project will
serve as a model of how a local community can work together with a national
park, and how such a community can benefit directly from the Park by utilising
its natural and infrastructural resources in a non-consumptive and sustainable
manner.
The most important component of the Duinepos Chalets project is community
involvement. You are the reason this project was started and you are the reason
this project is succeeding in creating Sustainable Livelihoods.
Although much has been accomplished in this project, much can still be done
to bring this opportunity to its full potential. It is to this end that the
department will provide a further R350 000 for the completion of this project.
Further funding has been secured from the Chief Directorate: Social
Responsibility Unit of the department to ensure that the Duinepos chalets
Project will be able to function optimally in the years to come.
The fact that three women are driving the business management unit for this
project, further adds weight to governments commitment to bringing women into
the mainstream of economic growth and opportunities.
With 2010 on its way, we hope that this facility will be one of those that
we can showcase with pride, but not only that, we want to see our communities
benefiting in real terms.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
3 April 2006
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
(http://www.environment.gov.za/)
