Community perceptions on a prospective game reserve: a case study of Loziba Wilderness, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
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Date
2021
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Abstract
South Africa has seen a notable trend on privately owned land in the context of land reform, in
which farms are transformed to community-owned game reserves, particularly in rural areas.
This transformation is associated with the increasing demand for wildlife conservation, which
can aid in generating income and development for rural communities. However, the challenge
with protected areas for wildlife is that they introduce significant changes in the property
regime, which redefines conditions for the access and control of the land. The creation of game
reserves faces more challenges for both project developers and communities than that was
anticipated. In relation to prospective wildlife game reserves, project developers do not
sufficiently consider the perceptions of the communities' that are adjacent to the project. This
study aims to investigate the perceptions of communities and other stakeholders involved
regarding the opportunities and the risks/challenges for a prospective game reserve. The study
focuses on the prospective expansion project of the Mawana Game Farm into a more extensive
game reserve, called Loziba Wilderness in Gluckstadt and Black Imfolozi, northern KwaZulu-
Natal.
The study uses qualitative methods such as interviews, questionnaires, observation and oral
testimony to explore community perceptions of their involvement in decision-making for the
prospective project, land reform and environmental education, and how they may or may not
inform perceptions towards conservation projects. The study has revealed that communities
allow for projects to be implemented in their space on a conditional basis, including maximum
benefit for local people. These include job opportunities, access to the park, an educational
fund for the youth and land set aside for grazing and farming. The study also revealed that
wildlife conservation perceptions for this specific project are informed by two factors, which
are 1. Interpersonal relations between the project developers themselves and their interaction
with the local communities and 2. Relations within the communities themselves and their
leaders. While factors such as transparency and benefit-sharing foster positive park-community
relationships, thus resulting in success stories. Other factors such as micro-politics,
expectations, past injustices, land politics, and a lack of trust between project initiators and
local communities negatively impact the implementation of wildlife conservation in rural areas. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that to ensure a smooth transition from
privately owned game reserves to community-owned game reserves, project developers need
to understand communities before a project is implemented. Present-day perceptions can
influence anticipated future projects. To achieve this may be performed by developing good
working relations with local communities, increase beneficiation for the communities and
environmental education and awareness.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.