Thonga Beach Lodge and the Mabibi Campsite
Articles
Press Release - 2004
Sappi sets the ball rolling with unique ecotourism development
The first tourist lodge in Greater St Lucia Wetlands Reserve World Heritage Site opens its doors. It is a special day of celebration and rejoicing, when the tourism minister for KwaZulu Natal - Narend Singh - enjoys a traditional African dance with Sappi CEO Jonathan Leslie and WWF-SA boss, Tony Frost.
African maidens in colourful traditional garb and high-kicking Zulu warriors, ululating elders and a carnival atmosphere set the tone for a day of festivities and formalities. It was indeed a special day for the community of Mabibi, who live in that part of paradise near the beautiful Lake Sibaya on the breathtaking Zululand north coast.
The occasion was the official celebration commemorating the opening of Thonga Beach Lodge - the first tourism concession in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park World Heritage Site. And such was the joy and spontaneous celebrations after nine years of negotiations and planning, that the members of the community and invited guests alike got caught up in the festive mood of the day.
Thonga Beach Lodge is a 24-bed luxury lodge tucked into the dune forest right on the beach at Mabibi, just north of Sodwana and it joins other projects in the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership as a significant empowerment exercise that combines conservation ethics with major equity for a local community.
The Mabibi Development Trust - which comprises the Mabibi community - owns 68% of the development, which has been financed through grant funding from the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership and low-interest loan funding from the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Ithala Development Finance Corporation Ltd.
Speaking at the event, CEO Jonathan Leslie could proudly state that Sappi had delivered on its promises. “Ten years ago we made a promise and a commitment to the community of Mabibi that we would assist them secure their future. At times it was frustrating to see the way forward, but we never gave up”, he said. He explained that the Mabibi project forms part of Sappi’s commitment to conserving sensitive indigenous forests and wetlands through building alternative sustainable resources and capacity for rural communities and concluded by saying that “the long term conservation of the Maputaland Forest Reserve will benefit from the Mabibi community project.”
The local community at Mabibi benefited in three ways: temporary jobs were created during the building of the lodge and permanent jobs have been created for the on-going operation of the lodge, whilst a host of ongoing ancillary activities and opportunities such as canoeing safaris, the supply of curios and vegetables also exist. The income generated for the community as a return on their investment will be administered by a trust to facilitate social delivery for meeting the community’s development needs such as schools, clinics, crèches and roads.
The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority played a significant role in securing the conditions for the opening of Thonga Beach Lodge. The Authority, established less than three years ago in terms of the World Heritage Act to manage the commercialisation and conservation of the Wetlands Park, was instrumental in clearing the way for the final approvals and realisation of the Thonga Beach Lodge. It has also set up a monitoring system to support and encourage effective delivery of the empowerment objectives of lodges like this one and to ensure that ongoing operations are in accordance with World Heritage Criteria. This is the first of nine lodges which will create over 900 direct jobs, with 75% BEE in the Wetlands Park.
The lodge will not replace the existing and popular Mabibi campsite, which is an affordable getaway for South Africans. It will operate alongside this campsite as an upmarket alternative - but the existing camp will remain.
Chairman of the Mabibi Development Trust, Bruce Mbonambi, says that they are impressed with the way that the lodge has been developed. “We are extremely happy with the way things have been done,” he says. “And we are grateful to the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership for the grant; it has made things a lot easier for us. We have also had help in understanding business and technology and the whole industry of tourism.”
About the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership:
Four years ago Sappi and WWF, the conservation organisation, embarked on a partnership to involve rural communities that live adjacent to threatened indigenous forests or wetlands, in sustainable eco-tourism programmes. The motivation for the project was the fact that these wetlands and forests were being placed under increasing pressure through unsustainable resource use. The project aimed to introduce community-based tourism as an alternative to the non-sustainable use of these resources. It was the belief of the project partners that tourism offered real economic value to these communities.
Dubbed the Sappi WWF TreeRoutes Partnership, the projects to date have been the establishment of and support for the Dlinza Forest Boardwalk in Eshowe in Zululand, and the guide-training centre in Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga. The Boardwalk in Eshowe - a skywalk in the canopy of the pristine Dlinza Forest which culminates in a 25-metre-high observation tower - has become a tourist attraction of note for both tourists and bird-watchers and has created substantial income for community tourism and environmental education. The bird-guide training centre in Wakkerstroom has been operational for four years and has trained over 100 guides now working throughout South Africa.
Thonga Beach Lodge is now set to become the flagship project for this worthy partnership, but Sappi is also looking forward to launching the other projects currently being facilitated. These include a tented lodge adjacent to the Mngazana mangrove forest on the Wild Coast; a hiking trail through the Karkloof Valley in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands and a small self-catering facility in the Ngoye Forest near Mtunzini, KwaZulu Natal.
To date, Sappi has invested some R10million into these projects.
Zelda Schwalbach
Sappi Public Affairs
Articles
Press Release - 2004
Sappi sets the ball rolling with unique ecotourism development
The first tourist lodge in Greater St Lucia Wetlands Reserve World Heritage Site opens its doors. It is a special day of celebration and rejoicing, when the tourism minister for KwaZulu Natal - Narend Singh - enjoys a traditional African dance with Sappi CEO Jonathan Leslie and WWF-SA boss, Tony Frost.
African maidens in colourful traditional garb and high-kicking Zulu warriors, ululating elders and a carnival atmosphere set the tone for a day of festivities and formalities. It was indeed a special day for the community of Mabibi, who live in that part of paradise near the beautiful Lake Sibaya on the breathtaking Zululand north coast.
The occasion was the official celebration commemorating the opening of Thonga Beach Lodge - the first tourism concession in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park World Heritage Site. And such was the joy and spontaneous celebrations after nine years of negotiations and planning, that the members of the community and invited guests alike got caught up in the festive mood of the day.
Thonga Beach Lodge is a 24-bed luxury lodge tucked into the dune forest right on the beach at Mabibi, just north of Sodwana and it joins other projects in the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership as a significant empowerment exercise that combines conservation ethics with major equity for a local community.
The Mabibi Development Trust - which comprises the Mabibi community - owns 68% of the development, which has been financed through grant funding from the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership and low-interest loan funding from the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Ithala Development Finance Corporation Ltd.
Speaking at the event, CEO Jonathan Leslie could proudly state that Sappi had delivered on its promises. “Ten years ago we made a promise and a commitment to the community of Mabibi that we would assist them secure their future. At times it was frustrating to see the way forward, but we never gave up”, he said. He explained that the Mabibi project forms part of Sappi’s commitment to conserving sensitive indigenous forests and wetlands through building alternative sustainable resources and capacity for rural communities and concluded by saying that “the long term conservation of the Maputaland Forest Reserve will benefit from the Mabibi community project.”
The local community at Mabibi benefited in three ways: temporary jobs were created during the building of the lodge and permanent jobs have been created for the on-going operation of the lodge, whilst a host of ongoing ancillary activities and opportunities such as canoeing safaris, the supply of curios and vegetables also exist. The income generated for the community as a return on their investment will be administered by a trust to facilitate social delivery for meeting the community’s development needs such as schools, clinics, crèches and roads.
The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority played a significant role in securing the conditions for the opening of Thonga Beach Lodge. The Authority, established less than three years ago in terms of the World Heritage Act to manage the commercialisation and conservation of the Wetlands Park, was instrumental in clearing the way for the final approvals and realisation of the Thonga Beach Lodge. It has also set up a monitoring system to support and encourage effective delivery of the empowerment objectives of lodges like this one and to ensure that ongoing operations are in accordance with World Heritage Criteria. This is the first of nine lodges which will create over 900 direct jobs, with 75% BEE in the Wetlands Park.
The lodge will not replace the existing and popular Mabibi campsite, which is an affordable getaway for South Africans. It will operate alongside this campsite as an upmarket alternative - but the existing camp will remain.
Chairman of the Mabibi Development Trust, Bruce Mbonambi, says that they are impressed with the way that the lodge has been developed. “We are extremely happy with the way things have been done,” he says. “And we are grateful to the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership for the grant; it has made things a lot easier for us. We have also had help in understanding business and technology and the whole industry of tourism.”
About the SappiWWF TreeRoutes Partnership:
Four years ago Sappi and WWF, the conservation organisation, embarked on a partnership to involve rural communities that live adjacent to threatened indigenous forests or wetlands, in sustainable eco-tourism programmes. The motivation for the project was the fact that these wetlands and forests were being placed under increasing pressure through unsustainable resource use. The project aimed to introduce community-based tourism as an alternative to the non-sustainable use of these resources. It was the belief of the project partners that tourism offered real economic value to these communities.
Dubbed the Sappi WWF TreeRoutes Partnership, the projects to date have been the establishment of and support for the Dlinza Forest Boardwalk in Eshowe in Zululand, and the guide-training centre in Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga. The Boardwalk in Eshowe - a skywalk in the canopy of the pristine Dlinza Forest which culminates in a 25-metre-high observation tower - has become a tourist attraction of note for both tourists and bird-watchers and has created substantial income for community tourism and environmental education. The bird-guide training centre in Wakkerstroom has been operational for four years and has trained over 100 guides now working throughout South Africa.
Thonga Beach Lodge is now set to become the flagship project for this worthy partnership, but Sappi is also looking forward to launching the other projects currently being facilitated. These include a tented lodge adjacent to the Mngazana mangrove forest on the Wild Coast; a hiking trail through the Karkloof Valley in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands and a small self-catering facility in the Ngoye Forest near Mtunzini, KwaZulu Natal.
To date, Sappi has invested some R10million into these projects.
Zelda Schwalbach
Sappi Public Affairs
See Also
Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk
The Karkloof Crane and Conservation Centre
Ongoye Forest Birding Camp
Thonga Beach Lodge and the Mabibi Campsite
The Wakkerstroom Wetland Reserve and Training Centre
Marutswa Forest Trail and Boardwalk
Southern KZN Birding Route
The Karkloof Crane and Conservation Centre
Ongoye Forest Birding Camp
Thonga Beach Lodge and the Mabibi Campsite
The Wakkerstroom Wetland Reserve and Training Centre
Marutswa Forest Trail and Boardwalk
Southern KZN Birding Route
Location Info
Special thanks for images
Rod MacLeod: Wildside Magazine
Isibindi Africa Lodges
Tim Neary
Rod MacLeod: Wildside Magazine
Isibindi Africa Lodges
Tim Neary
Eco-tourism = Community + Environment
