A Critical Analysis of Community Participation and Benefits from Conservation. A Comparative Study of Mthethomusha Game Reserve and the Pilanesberg National Park. By '. CAROLYN ~TE BRAYSHAW Submitted in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements ofthe degree ofmaster of Environment and Development, Centre ofEnvironment and Development, University ofNatal, Pietermaritzburg 1999 ABSTRACT This dissertation is an attempt to analyse and address some ofthe many and complex issues revolving around protected area - community relationships. The success of these relationships are essential ifthe Inission of protected areas are to be achieved. Due to large scale agriculture, high density populations and environmental degradation protected areas are often looked upon as a means to conserve biodiversity. It is for this reason that they play an important role in the natural environmental of South Africa. Ho\vever, there is a gro\ving realisation that protected areas \vill not suryive unless they become relevant to the communities that surround thenl. These cOI11nlunities are often characterised by high density populations and low levels of infrastructural and econolnic developlnent. These developmental requirements need to be considered by protected area management, and a dedicated effort is required by protected areas to assist in meeting these needs. However, the relationship between protected areas and C0111nlunities should not sinlply focus on meeting the developmental needs ofthe community, relationships need to allow for communities to participate in decisions and activities that directly impact oftheir lives. Benefits need to accrue to communities from protected areas for them to support the concepts of conservation. Benefits need to be tangible, intangible and elnpowering for them to have real meaningful impacts on the communities. Communities need to be actively involve in all aspects ofthe protected area Inanagelnent and links need to be forged behveen conservation and developlnent, so that the socio-economic condition ofthose living closest to protected areas improves. This study uses the relationship bet\veen Mthethomusha Game Reserve and the surrounding Mpakeni cOlnmunity, and the Pilanesberg National Park and the neighbouring Bakgatla community to investigate many issues, including the manner in which communities participate and benefit from conservation. The findings ofthis study reflect that the relationships benveen communities and protected areas are dependent on a number offactors including~ ownership~ socio-economic condition of the surrounding community~ institutional structures aJ}d capacity ofthe community~ forll1al agreenlents; history ofthe fonl1ati~n ofthe protect~d a~ea~ reliance on the 11 protected area for survival and the meaningfulness and appropriateness ofthe benefits received from the protected area. The experiences ofthe two case studies has been analysed and compared to develop a theoreticaltTIodel for community - protected area relationships. This model indicates the primary prerequisites which will contribute to effective and equitable relationships between protected areas and surrounding communities. 111 DECLARATION The research described in this dissertation was carried out through the Centre of Environlnent and Developlnent, University ofNatal, Pietennaritzburg, fronl August 1998 to June 1999, under the supervision ofProfessor Ruth Edgecombe and Ms. Fonda Lewis. The \vork represents original \vork by the author and have not otherwise been submitted in any fonn for any degree or diploma to an University. Where use has been ll1ade ofthe work ofothers it is duly acknowledged in the text. Carolyn Brayshaw IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract Declaration III List offigures VI List oftables VI List ofAbbreviations VII Acknowled!,lffients VIII Chapter 1 The "People - Parks" Conundrum 1 1.1 Introduction 1 'f..1.2 Aims and Objectives 2 Chapter 2. Research Method 4 2.1 Method 4 2.2 Analysis 7 2.3 The Case Studies 7 Chapter 3. Community - Protected Area Relations 9 3. 1 Introduction 9 ~3.2 Poverty 9 3.3 Ownership 10 3.4 Partnerships 11 3.5 Benefits 12 3.5.1 Tangible Benefits 12 3.5.2 Intangible Benefits 14 3.5.3 Empowerment 14 3.6 Environmental education and a\vareness 16­ 3.7 Conclusion 17 Chapter 4. Mthethomusha Game Reserve 19 4.1 Introduction 19 4.2 Socio-economic situation 21 4.2.1 Settlements surrounding MGR 22 4.2.1.1 Mpakeni Tribal Area 23 4.2.1.2 LOlTIshilo Tribal Area 26 4.2.2 Conclusion 27 4.3 Political structures and community institutions 27 4.4 Relationship with MGR 28 4.4.1 Ownership 28 4.5 Benefits 33 4.5.1 Tangible benefits 34 4.5.2 Intangible benefits 39 4.6 Empowerment 39 4.7 Environmental education and awareness 40 4.8 Tourisln 41 v Chapter 5. Pilanesberg National Park 45 5.1 Introduction 45 5.2 Socio-cconomic situation 45 5.2.1 Settlements surrounding Pilanesberg National Park 47 5.2.1.1 The Bakgatla Tribal Area 47 5.2.2 Conclusion 50 5.3 Political structure and community institutions 50 5.4 Relationship with Pilanesberg National Park 51 5.4.1 Ownership 52 5.5 Benefits 55 5.5.1 Tangible benefits 55 5.5.2 Intangible benefits 57 5.6 Empowerment 58 5.7 Environmental education and awareness 60 5.8 Tourism 62 Chapter 6. Analysis 65 6.1 Introduction 65 6.2 SWOT analysis ofMGR / community relationship 65 6.3 SWOT analysis ofPilanesberg National Park / community relationship 67 6.4 A framework for community - protected area relationships 69 Chapter 7 Discussion 74 Chapter 8 Conclusion 79 References 81 Appendices 93 VI LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Road leading from Daantjie to Mpakeni 19 Figure 2: Location ofthe study area 20 Figure 3: Traditional hOtnestead in Luphisi 26 Figure 4: A graphical representation ofthe agreement between MPB and the Mpakeni community. 33 Figure 5: Women collecting fire wood from within MGR 36 Figure 6: Location ofsecond study area 46 Figure 7: Piggery operated by members ofthe Bakgatla community 58 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Direct benefits received by the Mpakeni community 1989 - 1993 38 Table 2: List ofvillages comprising the Bakgatla Tribal Area 47 Table 3: A framework for community -protected area relationships 71 Vll LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BEAO - Bakgatla Environmental Awareness Organisation BOE - Board ofExecutors CCA - Conservation Corporation Africa CDO - Community Development Organisation KNP - Kruger National Park KPC - Kangwane Parks Corporation MGR - Mthethomusha Game Reserve MPB - Mpumalanga Parks Board NWPTB - North West Parks and TourislTI Board ROC - Regional District Councilor RDP - Reconstruction and Development Programme TLC - Transitional Local Council VIII ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank and express my sincere appreciation to the following persons and institutions for their contribution to the work presented in this dissertation: Professor Edgecombe~ Fonda Lewis for all her advise, encouragement patience and time; MPB for allowing me to carry out my research in Mthethomusha Game Reserve in particular Mrs. Thelnla Mahlonlbe for assisting Ille in the area and with the language; NWPTB, and in particular the staffat the PiJanesberg National Park for making my experiences there both educational and enjoyable; Mr. Hector Magome, whose help, suggestions and encouragelnent contributed greatly to this study. I would also like to thank the following for their assistence with clarifying the issues involved in this study; Mr. David A'Bear; Mr. Richard Davies; Dr. Anderson. CHAPTER 1 THE "PEOPLE-PARK" CONUNDRUM 1.1 Introduction The idea ofconservation means different things to different people. The history of ideas about conservation is multi-faceted (Carruthers 1997). Attempts to manage the African landscape for conservation or development invariably involves direct interventions in the relationship between hUlnan beings and their environment. Post­ colonially, the conservation strategies which have found favour in Africa have seldom been based upon the participation or consent ofthe communities whose lives they affect (Anderson and Grove 1987). In South Africa, like many other policies in the past, wildlife policies have been divisive (Carruthers 1997). Many people have a romanticised notion of.~onservation, but the situation in South Africa needs to be considered in the context ofthe greater history ofthe country as a whole. As historian Carruthers (1997) has pointed out, conservation in South Africa has been deeply embedded in the political history ofthe country. This is where the contradiction lies because the very concept ofnational parks, or protected areas ­ protecting ecosystems for the benefit ofthe population - have become exclusive and it has become a state duty to protect protected areas against people and against change (Carruthers 1997). The fortress approach, which is the result ofmilitant protection ofprotected areas against surrounding communities, has had the consequence that parks are 'islands under siege' (Carruthers 1997). The only way conservation efforts are going to succeed is ifparks are seen as an integrated whole rather than as 'islands' (Carruthers 1997). Ifbiodiversity conservation1 is to be achieved, local communities have to be included and benefit from conservation (Hughes and Steenkamp 1997). What is required is to elnpO\Ver local people so that they can control their own resources and therefore their own lives (Davion 1996). This empowerment oflocal people should also allow communities to develop an understanding ofthe concepts ofconservation and develop a sense ofco-ownership ofprotected areas that directly impact on their lives. 2 With