Amampondo Eco Tourism practitioners are in conflict with the developers of an exclusive luxury lodge at Mkambati Nature Reserve on the Wild Coast of the former Transkei region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
The developers want to control access and determine entrance fees while the local tour guides claim that the regulations are going to disrupt their lifestyle, discourage tourists and destroy their small businesses.
Ben Horowitz interviews Sinegugu Zikulu, Siya Ndovela, Homestay Mothers and local activists and reflects on their perspective of the conflict. In their right of reply, the developers; Mkambati Matters, the Eastern cape Parks and Tourism Agency and the Mkambati Land Trust defend their position. Ben concludes that there are two worlds clashing on the Wild Coast and that better communication, better understanding and more mutual respect could lead to solutions that benefit both sides.
Two Ears and One Mouth explores the challenges that many local communities and tourism developers face when trying to find the balance between Nature Conservation, Profit and Human Rights. Issues of racism, customary laws, economics and land rights are examined in the context of the current conflict.
For Ben, this episode signals the culmination of a years work on The Wild Coast, the development of this UA-cam Channel and the start of a new leg to take the work to a new level. In this episode Ben tries not to cast judgement but instead seeks a balanced view of the conflict and tries to find paths to resolution. This is the kind of communication and media that can contribute positively to the sustainable development of our country, our society and our natural environment.
#easterncape #transkei #transkeistories #wildcoast #africanhistory #sustainabledevelopment #gwegwebeachlodge #gwegwelodge #pondoland #racism #humanrights #hiking #mkambathi #warriors #tourism #conflict #conflictresolution #nature #natureconservation #amampondo #amadiba #mtentu #mzikaba #ecpta #land #waterfall #trails #southafrica #mzansi
00:00 Introduction
03:51 The Amampondo perspective
06:06 Hiking the Wild Coast
08:50 The waterfalls
10:04 The Homestay Mothers
11:49 Customary law
13:00 The developers disagree
13:53 Walking through Gwe Gwe Lodge
14:39 Customary rights VS commercial rights
16:12 Alternative hiking route
18:14 Mtentu Lodge guests
19:56 Booking the waterfalls
21:39 Lack of respect
26:30 Racism
29:11 Clashing economies
31:08 Constitutional VS customary law
32:38 Land ownership
35:44 Greedy liars
38:48 Conclusion