View/Open - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

To determine the various landscape and cultural attributes existing in the Ulundi local
municipality and establish the extent at which these attributes are of developmental
relevance to community.
It is quite worrying to note that approximately one in every two households heads had no idea
about the local landscape and cultural attributes. Local knowledge about the existence of
these landscape and cultural attributes and their developmental potentials were lacking.
Tourism was found to be one ofthe potential economic pillars to revive and turn around the
state ofaffairs in the study area. However, the local municipality has not been given tourism
the necessary attention that it should command in the economy of the study area. In spite of
the promotional campaigns initiated and encouraged by the Zululand District Municipality ­
(Tourism Section), the Ulundi Local Municipality had no tourism office, let alone a budget
for tourism operation in the 2007/2008 Financial Year. This is a gross strategic omission on
the part ofthe management ofthe Local Municipality which undermines the utilization ofthe
existing resources to their fullest developmental capacity in the study area.
As part ofthe objective, this study sought to emphasise the collective socio-economic benefits
that landscape and cultural attributes in the area had. How knowledge about the existence of
the landscape and cultural attributes was established was also considered. Particularly
noteworthy of such attributes in the area are: art and craft centres, cultural museum and
historical sites like the spirit of Emakhosini. In order to actively promote tourism, local
household heads have a responsibility to know and understand their area better to be able to
market it appropriately.
Objective 2
To investigate the steps taken to alleviate poverty, empower women and facilitate socio­
economic upliftment ofthe rural communities like Mkhazane, Mabedlane, Mbangayiya,
Mtikini and Mbhoshongweni.
218