Untamed Spirit of the Zulu Kingdom

“uMkhanyakude” refers to the greenish tree with some thorns (Acacia Xanthophloea Fever Tree) that mainly grows in the Umkhanyakude District. Literally it means “that shows light from afar.” The name of the District reflects both the uniqueness of its people and their hospitality, as well as the biodiversity and conservation history that the region is very proud of. Umkhanyakude is home to the Big Five and offers memorable year-round tourism experiences with mild winters and hot summers.

Umkhanyakude is situated in the North-eastern region of KwaZulu Natal. The District extends from Mtubatuba (St Lucia) in the south to Kosi Bay in the north, across to the Lubombo mountains in the west. The District includes the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park), the first World Heritage Site proclaimed in South Africa. The Park stretches along the Zululand coast from Mapelane in the south to Kosi Bay in the north. The name reflects the many areas that make up its 220 000 hectares, such as Lake Sibaya, Sodwana Bay, Mkhuze Game Reserve, False Bay, Fanies Island, Charters Creek, Lake St Lucia, and Cape Vidal. iSimangaliso made modern natural history when living fossils - coelacanths - were discovered off its warm Indian Ocean shoreline.

See http://www.isimangaliso.com

The N2 and part of the Lubombo Mountains form a physical divide within the District. The Lubombo mountain range is known for its spectacular scenery made up of dense natural forests, rugged rock faces, caves and rivers that wind through deep mountain gorges. Better east-west access routes need to be established to improve accessibility to tourism and Local Economic Development opportunities along the coast and in the hinterland.

The District is mainly rural with the only formalised town being Mtubatuba in the south. However, several towns are growing rapidly, such as Hluhluwe, Manguzi, Jozini, Mkuze and Mbazwana.

Current land use:

• A high proportion of the District is under thicket, grassland and wetland;
• Remaining areas are disturbed cultivation land and settlement;
• Large areas of land are under communal tenure in the District – located in the traditional authority areas under the jurisdiction of the IngonyamaTrust;
• The remaining areas are under state conservation, private ownership with limited formal urban areas;
• Land reform is in the process of being implemented in the District and comprises around 20% of the total area at the time of survey (2007 by the Department of Land Affairs);
• Additional land has been identified for redistribution and restitution purposes.

Umkanyakude is one of four district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal that were selected as presidential nodes to redirect public funding to priority areas for poverty alleviation.

The District Municipality is committed to:

• Deliver basic services to all its people
• Support local municipalities to become viable
• Promote good governance and intergovernmental relations
• Maximise the opportunities offered by its Unique Natural Assets and Cultural Heritage

Umkhanyakude is well positioned to reap the benefits of South African-Mozambique business relations and infrastructural development like the Durban N2 Corridor to Maputo. The construction and operation of the Mkuze Regional Airport is an investment that will trigger business opportunities in the area.

There is opportunity for investment around the airport which is to be upgraded to accommodate Boeing 737s. Upgrading includes the runway, beacons and eventually the terminal building.

Economy

The key drivers of the local economy are agriculture, services, tourism and retail. Agri- processing has potential, but this has yet to be realized as a key driver.

uMkhanyakude forms part of the Lubombo Trans-frontier Conservation Area. This conservation area includes South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. The Tembe-Futi portion of the Lubombo Trans-frontier Conservation Area falls within uMkhanyakude, with Ndumo and Tembe Elephant Park forming major attractions. uMkhanyakude has applied for the entire district to be declared as a Biosphere Reserve, ensuring that all economic development is in line with conservation principles.

The Jozini Dam forms an integral part of the economy of the region. It draws its water from Maputaland’s Pongola River, which has a series of oxbow lakes and pans teeming with fish and bird life. Tiger fishing from luxurious house boats is a popular attraction. The dam, which is one of the largest in the country, is an under-exploited tourism resource in the area. The Muzi Lake, boat and canoeing projects also offer invaluable development potential.

The alluvial soils surrounding the river have considerable agricultural possibilities. This dam is designed to irrigate more than 80 000 hectares of agricultural land. Crops include sugar cane, rice, coffee, cotton, fibre crops and various sub-tropical fruits. Other agricultural products in the region include timber, tomatoes, chillies and pineapples. The area produces over 90% of South Africa’s queen pineapples. There is potential for agri-processing in the form of canning or bottling of pineapples.

One of the most exciting opportunities for generating local large-scale employment lies in the construction of an industrial cluster on communal land on the Makhathini Flats. The construction would include a sugar mill with potential for co-production of ethanol and electricity. The construction of a cold storage facility will also improve access to markets for farmers.

Economic Imperatives

The District and Local Municipalities are in the process of establishing an investment framework with a view to further create an enabling environment for private sector investment, particularly in the key sectors in the District.

There is also a drive that is aimed at developing the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative (LSDI) Corridor of the District which focuses on development around Isimangaliso Wetland Park, Makhathini Flats and Pongolapoort Dam.

Investment Opportunities

Key projects include but are not limited to:

• Mkuze Regional Airport;
• Jozini Hydro-electric Scheme;
• Makhathini Flats Development (Sugarcane, fruit and vegetables production and processing)
• Expanded timber production;
• Fishing industry based on natural resource harvest supplemented by aquaculture;
• Expanded ha under cashew and coconut production for processing of oils and nuts for export
• Establishment of high value – up market anchor tourism sites to ‘trigger’ further structured investment in the sector
• Production of starch from cassava
• High end hotel resort development
• Game lodge

Umhlosinga Development Agency has been entrusted by Umkhanyakude District Municipality to plan and implement a program of sustainable economic growth and development for the District.

The Agency aims to foster local action to remove barriers and blockages to equitable and sustainable growth and development of the local economy. This includes creating investment opportunities for the District.