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Zululand, yet most residents do not know much about the historical sites ofthe place.
The gap ofignorance undermines local and overseas tourism potential that the cultural
and historical sites wield. A well-structured marketing strategy aimed at educating the
community about these attributes is paramount and imperative. Unemployment
remains one ofthe socio-economic challenges facing Ulundi.
• Quite a sizeable percentage of household heads are ignorant about the projects that
seek to address issues on poverty and food secudy. Approximately half of the
interviewees rely on social grants as their sole means of poverty alleviation and
empowerment. The sustainability ofsocial grants as an empowerment tool is a serious
concern. About two in three responses indicate that the social grant has been the main
strategic tool in the local economic development. Although it offers short-term relief
to the underprivileged and the marginalised, it has little or no impact on the growth
and development of Ulundi in the long run. It is generally perceived that the current
economic condition of Ulundi is weak and cannot support job creation and improve
the quality oflife ofthe majority ofthe people.
• Attractive industrial incentives like cheap land and affordable electricity may be
implemented to draw more industries to Ulundi to take advantage of its close
proximity to the P700 road; and this may be marketed strategically to boost the
economy ofthe area. Limited infi"astructural facilities hamper development. There is
furthermore the need for improving inrrastructural facilities like maintaining existing
roads and constructing new ones. Water provision and electricity reticulation
programmes should be intensified. Ulundi has numerous facilities to educate the local
population on the environment, however this investigation has established that public
awareness campaigns about their existence are very low.
• The majority of the household heads do not know much about community
development projects in the study area. There is concern about lack of probity,
transparency and accountability of the financial resources of the Municipality. The
majority of the interviewees indicate that human resources are generally inefficient
and ineffective. About two in three respondents indicate that the municipal human
resources are generally inefficient and less effective. This is because the Local
Municipality does nOl have the requisite capacity to deliver municipal services
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