TRADE and Industry Minister Rob Davies wants funding from the Land Bank and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in place by the end of the next financial year to fund a massive afforestation programme in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu- Natal. Conservative estimates in a 2005 study identified 100000ha for new forestry in the Eastern Cape and 39000ha in KZN with smaller parcels in Limpopo and Mpumalanga concluding that the industry had the potential to create 15600 jobs. The forestry products industry ranks among the top exporting industries in the country and its exports in 2008 totalled R14.8-billion which, after deducting forest product of R11.3-billion – meant a net foreign exchange earning of R3.5-billion, a contribution of some 15% to the country’s trade balance.

The Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP), released by Davies last week, notes that most of the forests are on communal land where “a number of value-added opportunities can be explored for smaller growers” currently supplying their timber to big companies for pulp and paper mills. IPAP says that opportunities exist to expand the small-scale milling industry and to use jungle wattle that would otherwise go to waste for charcoal production. The action plan says the issuing of water licences has become “a serious obstacle for forestry development” and communities are unable sometimes to afford the required environmental impact assessment.

It wants a national task team in place by the end of June to oversee the afforestation process and for the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (DWEA) to have conducted reserve determination and hydrological surveys for targeted catchments within the same time frame. By the end of September, Trade and Industry will have appointed facilitators to mobilise communities and “provide capacity for them to apply for water use licences issued by DWEA and access capital”.

Funding for the EIAs will be provided by Asgisa EC and Trade and Industry. Davies is also looking at charcoal manufacturing enterprises in the Eastern Cape and KZN using jungle wattle – an alien species. He points out the market requires low levels of capital inputs, limited technical knowledge, uses unskilled workers and is labour-intensive. “The project has the potential of increasing participation in the rural areas, employment creation and skills transfer.” IPAP wants Asgisa EC to undertake the required EIAs in identified areas by the end of June and for the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) to train and register 12 cooperatives in communities with an interest in charcoal production within the same timeframes. The National Empowerment Fund and IDC must also provide funding for the enterprises by the end of September. IPAP is also looking at the biomass sub-sector for SMMEs and a feasibility study will be undertaken before the end of this year as well as a business plan developed before the end of March next year.

Source: Weekend Post (http://www.weekendpost.co.za/business/article.aspx?id=535623)

THE Garden Route, long hailed as the tourism mecca of the country, was not among the top performers compared to other Western Cape areas when it came to attracting international tourists last year, although it did receive a massive 91% of local visitors.

According to statistics from Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU), the Western Cape’s tourism authority, the Garden Route and Klein Karoo garnered just under 7% of international visitors to the province last July to September. The overseas visitors came mostly from the traditional markets of Europe and China.

CTRU said the barometer showed 91% of visitors to the Garden Route and Klein Karoo were domestic travellers. Of these, 60% came from within the Western Cape, possibly indicating a reluctance on the part of hard hit consumers to travel long distances.

Letitia Raper, a Johannesburg resident who normally holidays in the Garden Route, yesterday said: “We decided not to go away for a holiday last year because of the high petrol costs and the tough economy. We rather focused on trying to clear our debts.”

Of the holiday-makers both foreign and domestic who visited South Africa, the Western Cape received 77% of local and 20% of overseas tourists.

According to the study, 78% of Cape Town’s visitors were from overseas, followed by the Cape Winelands (29%) and the Cape West Coast (13%). The Garden Route was second lowest in overseas visitor numbers, beating only the Karoo with 4,6%.

CTRU chief executive Calvyn Gilfellan said despite the worst economic recession in 60 years, the Western Cape tourism industry had maintained its performance over the festive season.

According to the poll, the Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn showed a slight growth in visitor numbers of 0,7%, welcoming 42902 visitors last year.

According to the barometer, the core overseas markets all recorded a significant drop in visitor numbers: UK (-26,%), Germany (-18%), France (-17%) and The Netherlands (-13%).

Testifying to holidaymakers seeking cheaper alternatives, camping increased in popularity at all South Africa’s national parks, with Tsitsikamma showing a 50% growth in campers and Wilderness 38%.

The Wilderness National Park had 6703 visitors, an overall growth of 65%, while the Tsitsikamma National Park had 32194 visitors, an overall increase of 20%.

Source: Weekend Post (http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=531123)