Buchanana cultural village to attract tourists

IF exploited fully, tourism will help address unemployment in poverty-stricken communities.

This was the general consensus as members of the Zululand Yacht Club and uMhlathuze Community Tourism Organisation met in Bhuchanana on Sunday to view the Mangcengce Bush area which has been earmarked as a tourism destination.

Zululand Yacht Club Commodore Wayne Bird promised to give Inkosi Phiwayinkosi Biyela of the uBuka Traditional Authority free honorary membership of the club.

Bird said they will return to the area in November with international tourists.

‘When we return, the community will have the opportunity of selling their craft work and traditional food to the visitors.

‘We came here to check what sort of water sports we can offer in this dam and in this area. I am very impressed with what the community displayed here.

‘The reception from the members of the traditional council and the youth was overwhelming.

‘Even though our schedule is tight, we will develop a plan to take the local youth to Richards Bay where we will teach them how to swim and sail,’ said Bird.

Community elder Douglass Biyela applauded the visit, saying as a traditional council they were planning to change the undeveloped area into a tourist destination.

‘Our vision is to establish Mkhosana Cultural Village with a lodge for tourists to stay in. We are excited about your presence here and hope that you will help us to achieve our goal,’ said Biyela.

He reminded visitors that even though they wanted to develop the area, they must keep in mind that the bush was a grazing field for cattle and goats.

uMhlathuze Community Tourism Organisation Treasury, Jeffrey Mcambi, assured the community that the area still belongs to Inkosi Biyela.

‘We will bring a water expert to check on what we need to do, to clean the water, remove all alien plants and only leave indigenous trees,’ he said.

Mcambi also encouraged the youth to take the ownership of the project to ensure that they and the community benefit from it..

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