Pretoria – The Ndlambe Community Project, which will promote rural tourism growth, has been launched in the Eastern Cape.
Tourism Deputy Minister Tokozile Xasa launched the project on Wednesday during National Imbizo Focus Week.
The project was started in 2011 and brings to fruition one of the Department of Tourism’s nine Social Responsibility Implementation (SRI) initiatives earmarked for launching in the 2015/16 financial year.
Deputy Minister Xasa said tourism has been identified as one of the key priority areas of Ndlambe in the Local Economic Development Strategy. Ndlambe Local Municipality is an administrative area in the Cacadu District.
“Projects like these are meant to implement the strategy and it is imperative that tourism projects and initiatives within the municipality seek to grow the tourism economy by increasing economic benefits of tourism to the area through community beneficiation,” the Deputy Minister said.
Three existing houses were renovated and refurbished into accommodation facilities and two new units were built. Each of these units can accommodate six people.
Another existing house has been converted into a conferencing venue for 40 people. In addition to beautifying the area, each unit has also had conservancy tanks installed. These upgrades will bring this facility in line with the standards required for a 3-star tourism facility grading.
The upgraded accommodation and conferencing facilities of the project form part of the drive by the Department of Tourism to leverage off South Africa’s potential as a prime tourism destination by creating sustainable tourism related projects in rural areas of the country.
Ninety-six jobs were created during the refurbishment and building phase of the Ndlambe SRI project, which is in line with the principles of the country’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
The Deputy Minister said job creation remains one of the country’s biggest challenges.
“As articulated in the National Development Plan, job creation is one of our biggest challenges. And job creation and skills development and training go hand in hand.
“To this end, our SRI seeks to address the backlog of transformation challenges in the rural areas within the tourism sector through geographical, seasonal and rural spread, while unlocking economic development opportunities and skills development at local government level,” she said.
Deputy Minister Xasa said tourism should be a people-based socio-economic activity, as responsible tourism ensures the preservation of local heritage and culture, while creating an environment for South Africans to share equitably in the economic benefits they generate. - SAnews.gov.za
