Mnweni-Amazizi Project

Since then, the Mnweni-AmaZizi project was created, incorporating several major projects, and scores of smaller ones as well.  The project aims to preserve the area’s cultural heritage and its natural importance while also recognizing that poverty and unemployment must be addressed in order for conservation to be sustainable.  The project has evolved slowly to cement local buy-in, and began with the Mnweni Community Rock Art Research Project, contracted to Bergwatch by the Natal Museum and the KZN Department of Nature Conservation. Over the years, 93 unlisted sites have been documented.  The project created greater cooperation, which allowed for a tourism feasibility study, a mobile workshop, and eventually the Mnweni Culture and Hiking Centre.  These phases were helped by Mnweni triangle Development Committee, the People and Parks Project, Green Trust, the Mazda Wildlife Fund, Rand Water, the Poverty Relief Fund, and the KZN Tourism Authority. These projects in-turn lead to the Mnweni Donga Reclamation Project. Similar projects were occurring simultaneously in AmaZizi.  There the Okhonbe Landcare Trust was formed with the help of the University of KZN Farmer Support Group.  Grazing camps, soil reclamation projects, and Donga reclamation were undertaken by the Okhonbe Monitoring Group with the assistance of UKZN Department of Grassland Science. The tourism projects are still underway and the Buhlebenvelo centre is planned for the future. Funding has come from different sources and is currently being funded by the Maas Mazu Fund and the Maloti Drakensburg Trans Frontier Project, as well as UKZN.  For the benefit of sustained conservation, Bergwatch also offers a Rock Art Appreciation and Cultural Heritage Program for schools and a Community Conservation program for adults.  The overall end goal would be to be declared a World Heritage Site by the UN, like the surrounding parks.

Innovation

The innovation lies in the approach.  Instead of forcing conservation on the population, the project has slowly and flexibly, encouraged local participation and understanding.  They focus on the interdependence of cultural and environmental heritage and slowly convinced the community that both are in their personal interest.

Effectiveness

The project aims to reach directly 10% of the population of 20,000. So far the Mweni Culture and Hiking Centre is on-stream, with a staff of 14, including trained guides.  Meanwhile, the Donga Reclamation Project, and the Okhombe Monitoring Group operate when there is funding and employ 120 people at a time for the length of specific projects.  The education projects have reached 400 learners and 24 teachers.  All projects are run by community groups and thus community ownership and implementation are integral to its success.  There are also two community trusts ensuring this continues.

Poverty Impact

By direct employment in the afore-mentioned projects, and through encouraging SMME’s, the project hopes to alleviate some of the worst poverty in the area.  Only by convincing the population that conservation is economically beneficial will it be sustainable.

Sustainability

There have been various restraints to making the project self-sustaining, including erratic funding, bureaucratic red-tape, the natural mistrust of the population to outsiders, and the vastness of the area, but progress has been made and funding has been continuous.  In the near future it is hoped that the project will become self-sustainable.

Replication

The project’s approach should be replicated in other rural conservation projects.  The combination of cultural and natural conservation with poverty reduction and employment strategies is unique and effective.  South Africa is a vast country of beautiful natural areas that need to be conserved. This project could be replicated in many of them as its slow and steady approach will take into account regional differences.

Partnerships

• Natal Museum
• KZN Department of Nature Conservation
• Mnweni triangle Development Committee
• The People and Parks Project
• Green Trust
• The Mazda Wildlife Fund
• Rand Water
• The Poverty Relief Fund
• KZN Tourism Authority
• University of KZN Farmer Support Group
• Maas Mazu Fund
• Maloti Drakensburg Trans Frontier Project