THE DEVELOPMENT OF LILANI HOT SPRINGS: AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS by ROSS JOHNATHAN HOOLE Submitted in fulfilment ofthe requirements for the degree ofMaster of Science in the Department ofGeography, University ofNatal, Pietermaritzburg. Pietermaritzburg, 2000 ABSTRACT Tourism development in remote areas of South Africa is often being proposed as the solution to poor rural communities' development needs. However, experience indicates that tourism development can result in a negative impact on a community's culture and way of life. The issue of sustainable development and what it means sets a base in which the research looked at tourism in rural areas. The case study on the impact ofthe redevelopment ofLilani Hot Springs as a tourist resort focusses on both the people and environment. The historical context ofthe hot springs, their discovery, development and the demise ofthe old resort is investigated. This was undertaken so that lessons learnt from the past can be taken into consideration with the future development of the resort. This study has included investigating the viability and sustainability ofsuch a tourist resort in the Umvoti Magisterial District and in a rural environment. By focussing on the Lilani community, this research project explores the key factors which have been identified as essential if long-term sustainable tourism is to be achieved in remote rural communities. An appropriate planning approach which stresses local participation and decision-making within the context ofa holistic strategy for community development is subsequently proposed. Tourism has the potential ofprotecting the environmentwhile providing social and economic benefits to the local communities. Clearly ifthe socio-economic needs ofthe local community in which a tourism development is set are not addressed, it will not succeed but ifthe natural environment, which is the very asset on which the tourism development is dependent upon, is not protected the resource which is the source ofattracting tourists will be destroyed. 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all those people who have assisted and supported me throughout this dissertation and without whom the final product would not have been possible. My supervisor, Prof. Graeme Slade, for his guidance and constructive criticism ofmy work; My parents, Noel and Susan Hoole, for their support and encouragement throughout my studies; Members ofthe Sithole-Mthembu tribal authority for giving up their time to answer interview questions; Victor Mngadi and Petros Mngadi, members of the Sithole-Mthembu tribe who were of assistance while collecting data in the field; Karen Kohler, for her time, encouragement, guidance and constructive criticism ofmy work; Roslyn Wheatley and Brenda Hunter for their assistance in translating a book and archival information from Afrikaans into English; Marise Bauer, for assisting in producing the maps; and, The staffofthe Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository for their assistance. 111 DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY Declaration of Originality. Except where explicitly indicated to the contrary, this study is the original work ofthe author. This thesis has not previously been submitted in any form to any other University. Date 14j03pJ IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract 11 Acknowledgements III Declaration of Originality iv Table of Contents v List ofTables ix List of Figures ix CHAPTER ONE 1 INTRODUCTION, RESEARCH OUTLINE AND METHODOLOGY 1.1 Introduction: Background and Rationale for the Research Project 1 1.2 Research Aims and Objectives 3 1.3 Research Context 4 1.4 Methodology 5 1.5 Outline of Study 6 CHAPTER TWO 7 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 Tourism 7 2.1.1 Defining Tourism 7 2.1.2 Tourism as an Integral Part ofLeisure 9 2.1.3 Tourism as an Industry 10 2.1.4 The Tourist Destination 11 2.1.5 Alternative Tourism 13 2.1.6 The Nature ofTourism Impacts 15 2.2 Sustainable Development 18 2.2.1 Defining Sustainable Development 18 2.2.2 Sustainable Development and Tourism Carrying Capacity 21 2.3 Sustainable Environmental Development 24 2.3.1 The Legal Framework 24 v CHAPTER THREE 26 AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON HOT SPRINGS AS TOURIST DESTINATIONS 3.1 Geological Causes ofHot Springs 26 3.1.1 The Geological Formations 26 3.1.2 Hot Springs Associated with Volcanic Activity 26 3.1.3 Hot Springs Related to Deep Faults 27 3.1.4 The Mineral Content in the Water ofHot Springs 28 3.1.5 The Type ofHot Springs in South Africa 29 3.2 An Historical Look at the Use ofHot Springs 29 3.3 The Heyday of Spa Resorts 31 3.3.1 The Development ofBritish Spas 31 3.3.2 The Historic Town ofBath, England 33 3.3.3 The Spas ofEurope, Britain and America 34 3.4 The Declining Popularity ofSpas 37 3.4.1 A Change in Holiday Destinations to Seaside Resorts 37 3.4.2 Continuing Interest in Spas 40 3.4.3 The Beginning ofMass Tourism 41 3.5 Hot Springs in South Africa 44 CHAPTER FOUR 51 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE HOT SPRINGS IN KWAZULU-NATAL 4.1 Introduction 51 4.2 Natal Spa 51 4.3 Thangami Safari Spa 53 4.4 Shu Shu Hot Springs 55 4.5 Lilani Hot Springs 60 4.6 Summary 61 VI CHAPTER FIVE 66 LILANI HOT SPRINGS RESORT: A CASE STUDY 5.1 An Historical Account ofthe Development ofthe LHani Hot Springs Resort 66 5.1.1 The Historical Context 66 5.1.2 Socio-Economic Spin-offs from the Old Hot Springs Resort 78 5.1.2.1 Post Office 78 5.1.2.2 Trading Store 78 5.1.2.3 Bus Service 80 5.1.2.4 Police Station 81 5.1.2.5 Road Access 81 5.1.2.6 New Uses at the Old Hotel Site 82 5.1.2.7 Summary 83 5.2 The Physical Environment 85 5.2.1 Topography and Geology ofthe Lilani Valley 85 5.2.2 Slope Analysis 87 5.2.3 Mining Activity in the Lilani Valley 89 5.2.4 The Thermal Hot Springs ofthe Lilani Valley 93 5.3 The People and Their Environment 99 5.3.1 The Current Socio-Economic Context 99 5.3.2 Existing and Planned Development Initiatives for Lilani 105 5.3.3 The Local People's Perspective 111 5.4 The Potential Impact ofTourism on the Lilani Valley and its People 116 5.4.1 The Environmental Impact ofTourism Development 116 5.4.2 The Economic Impact ofTourism Development 124 5.4.3 The Social and Cultural Impact ofTourism Development 130 CHAPTER SIX 140 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDAnONS 6.1 The Resort: its Potential and Constraints as a Tourist Destination and Recommendations for Future Development Actions 140 vu """--.. REFERENCES 147 Books and Journals 147 Interviews and Personal Communications 153 APPENDICES 154 Appendix A- Questionnaire - English 154 Appendix B- Questionnaire - Zulu 158 Appendix C- Statistics South Africa Census 1996 data 162 viii Page LIST OF TABLES TABLE 3.1­ A Comparison ofthe Hot Spring Resorts Presently Operating in South Africa 49 TABLE 4.1­ A Comparison ofthe Hot Springs ofKwaZulu-Natal 62 TABLE 4.2 ­ A Summary ofKey Aspects Effecting the Hot Springs ofKwaZulu-Natal 64 TABLE 5.1 ­ An Analysis ofthe Individual Hot Springs in the Lilani Valley 92 TABLE 5.2 Irridex Model of Stress Relative to Tourism Development 138 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 3.1 "Geotherrnal springs. The source of heat for most hot springs is the natural increase in temperature with depth ofabout 3 0 C per lOOm. For some springs in volcanic areas the heat source is cooling magma. Seawater or freshwater descends one fault or percolates through loose rocks, is heated and returns to the surface as hot springs." Higgins and Higgins, 1996: 11 27 FIGURE 3.2 Map ofthe Hot Springs in South Africa 43 FIGURE 4.1 The Main Building at Natal Spa 52 FIGURE 4.2 The Hot Pools at Natal Spa 52 FIGURE 4.3 The Hot Pools at Thangami Safari Spa 54 FIGURE 4.4 The Kop and caravan campers in the foreground, taken from the island in the Tugela River where the Shu Shu Hot Springs are located 56 FIGURE 4.5 Children playing in the Shu Shu Hot Springs on the island with a relatively dry Tugela River behind them and the caravan campers on the other side ofthe river 56 FIGURE 4.6 Map ofthe Locality ofthe Shu Shu Hot Springs 58 FIGURE 4.7 A Detailed Map ofthe Shu Shu Hot Springs 58 FIGURE 4.8 Hot Springs in KwaZulu-Natal 65 FIGURE 5.1 Original Diagram ofthe Lease Area for Lilani Hot Springs 67 FIGURE 5.2 The first buildings at Lilani Hot Springs 68 FIGURE 5.3 Newspaper Advertisement for Lilani, 1916 70 FIGURE 5.4 A Card Advertising Lilani during the Time ofMr Blaine 71 FIGURE 5.5 Guests at the Lilani Hydro, with Mr Caruso Serving 72 IX FIGURE 5.6 The Three Italian POW's, Mario, Inchenso and Frank Caruso 72 FIGURE 5.7 The Lilani Hydro Resort's Main Pools 73 FIGURE 5.8 The Lilani Hot Springs Resort with the Tshane Ridge in the Background 74 FIGURE 5.9 The Abandoned Lilani Hotel in 1996 77 FIGURE 5.10 The Bus used in the Lilani Valley 80 FIGURE 5.11 Mrs Nicholson being carried down by Litter into the Lilani Valley 81 FIGURE 5.12 A Scene ofthe 0 Id Lilani Hotel 83 FIGURE 5.13 Locality Plan ofLilani Hot Springs 84 FIGURE 5.14 Aerial photograph ofthe Lilani Hot Springs 86 FIGURE 5.15 Slope Analysis ofthe Sithole-Mthembu Tribal Authority Land 88 FIGURE 5.16 Aerial photograph ofthe Lilani Hot Springs 91 FIGURE 5.17 The Radium Pool 94 FIGURE 5.18 The Sulphur Pools 95 FIGURE 5.19 The Bluish Opalescent Sheen ofthe Medium sizes Sulphur Pool 96 FIGURE 5.20 The Spring Water Flowing into the Women's Washing Pool 97 FIGURE 5.21 The Abandoned Spring 98 FIGURE 5.22 The Statistics South Africa Census 1996 Enumerator Areas for the Lilani Hot Springs 101 FIGURE 5.23 A View ofthe Homesteads around the Lilani Hot Springs in October 2000 112 FIGURE 5.24 A View ofthe Lilani Valley from above the Old Hot Springs Resort in October 2000 115 FIGURE 5.25 Erosion on the Southern Slope ofthe Lilani Valley 122 FIGURE 5.26 The Sign Post for the Lilani Hot Springs 138 FIGURE 5.27 An Aerial Photograph ofEshane and the Lilani Valley 139 x CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION, RESEARCH OUTLINE AND METHODOLOGY 1.1 INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR THERESEARCH PROJECT There is a clear need for South Africa to address poverty and the lack ofdevelopment in rural areas while taking advantage of the scenically beautiful countryside and cultural diversity to encourage tourism from the domestic and international market.