Ke a go leboga Modulasetilo wa Baduladitulo mme ke dumedisa le batlotlegi ba NA.
English:
In unison, the collective of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism agreed that the long-term strategic objective remains the same, and that long-term strategic objective it is the attainment of a South Africa that one day will know no colour, will know no creed and it will be a prosperous society.
The relentless effort to create this type of society is something that we seek to achieve. Future history of generations that shall be proud of referring to themselves as a national democratic society; as I said, is something that we seek to achieve.
At all material times, hon members, this is what in essence informs our approach as the portfolio committee. We are vigilantly and perpetually sensitive to the reality that the society we seek to create for future history will be an outcome of a protracted struggle between the offsprings of the beneficiaries of injustices
of our past and the offsprings of those who consciously chose to pursue the task of ensuring the triumph of the revolution of the people.
This is the context within which we humble ourselves before this House and declare for all and sundry to know that the committee has collectively brought to this House the following lessons from Howick's oversight work:
Lesson number one: Howick is a small dorpie [town] like many other small dorpies [towns] in South Africa, which can be used in the context of what the President has announced as an objective to build new cities in South Africa. To create a city, as part of this national democratic society, intrinsically linked to its history, topography and demographics to be used terrorism purposes; that is lesson number one.
Lesson number two: It is important to continue the task of strong inter- governmental relations as it was demonstrated by both the provincial legislature, the district municipality and the local municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal; as they were with us as we were doing this
oversight work. We were accompanied by Mayor Sizwe Sokhela and Deputy Mayor Buthelezi, through the presence of also member of the legislature there, hon James Nxumalo.
Lesson number three: There was immediate responsiveness by the local municipality to install Central Circuit Television, CCTV, cameras to realise the objective of creating security and comfort for the people of Howick so that they can enjoy tourism.
Lesson number four: The report that beneficiaries were already identified and land was already also identified, and necessary construction of the necessary infrastructure was already done to make sure that people are resettled in those [Time expired.] Thank you very much, hon Chairperson. [Applause.]
House Chairperson, at the outset, let me thank the committee chairperson, hon Supra Mahumapelo, for hearing me and scheduling the extensive oversight to the Howick Falls or kwaNogqaza.
The focus of Tourism Month in September was "Tourism and jobs - a better life for all."
Such was the case with the Howick Falls, the only waterfall situated in the Central Business District, CBD, of a major town or city in our country.
At its tourism zenith, 25 500 visitors, many from overseas, visited the Falls every month. They spent an equivalent of R102 000 every day, supported well over a hundred jobs, a thriving souvenir industry and a string of shops on the Falls Road. They were enthralled by stories of the monster at the bottom of the Falls and the rich isiZulu ancestral stories relating to the location; undoubtedly much like Mark Twain was when he visited in 1896.
But much like the Falls itself in winter, the flood of tourists has petered out to trickle. The ten tour buses a day have dwindled to two. In the last few months, only 1 800 tourists have visited the site. This 93% decline has led to losses in income to local business and traders of around R3,5 million a month. Inevitably, eight
businesses have closed, and 60 people have lost their jobs.
The obvious question is: What has led to this catastrophic decline in tourist arrivals and job losses? The committee report paints a sombre picture: it cites neglect, x-rated activities conducted in the area, rampant crime, muggings, drunk driving, drug dealing, litter and indecent behaviour.
Not least, the report refers to "the perilous state of neglect and disrepair" of the Falls area infrastructure. That's being diplomatic. What it means, is that the once highly popular Gorge Walk/Bush Golf experience building has been completely vandalized and gutted, and is now a make-shift shelter for drug addicts.
The committee heard extensive inputs from stakeholders including local ward councillor Hazel Lake who led the guided tour, representatives of local tourism associations, businesses, communities and officials representing local and provincial government.
Perhaps the most frustrating evidence presented to the committee was the "long relentless" litany of historical appeals for help, all of which fell on deaf ears. These included a 755-strong petition, various submissions and lobbying by business and HUCTO, interventions to plead for the enforcement of by-laws and regular cleanups by the community and the DA to make a difference, as covered in page 24 of the report.
The tourism committee has made no less than 27 recommendations to restore the Falls area to its former glory and by so doing, re-invigorate businesses and jobs in the area. It also addresses the issue of safety at the informal settlement side of the Falls and has made wide- ranging proposals to draw in other government departments, assisting the Mpophomeni Tourism Centre and generally fostering a more non-racial and inclusive tourism framework and environment to deepen the tourism footprint among all our communities.
One of the more impassioned inputs by community members at the oversight hearings was that proposed solutions should be time bound and closely monitored by the
committee. This is absolutely essential to the success of the recovery plan because the reason for the decline in the first place has been chronic and sustained municipal neglect and zero enforcement of local by-laws.
The uMngeni Local Municipality has made just a few interventions since the committees' oversight nearly two months ago. Some additional cleaning has been done, but that stopped two weeks ago when no refuse bags were supplied. Only one crime enforcement action has occurred. No security cameras have appeared, and infuriatingly, no expression of interest has yet been issued for the Gorge Walk/Bush Golf building. No clarity has yet emerged as to how the informal settlement residents will qualify for housing at ekhayalitsha when 90% of them are in fact Lesotho nationals.
This oversight visit was a good example of constructive multi-party engagement and a sincere, thoughtful and wide-ranging series of recommendations which could yield a "best-practice" series of successes. For that to happen, the Tourism committee will need to be vigilant
and ensure the recommendations are followed up and implemented without fear or favour.
The DA supports the report. Thank you. [Applause.]
House Chairperson indeed we went to Howick and the situation in Howick Waterfalls and Empopomeni is very bad, it is an obvious proof on how non-caring is our government and the oversight has also exposed the racism that is happening in that part of the country. Gorge Tourist Destination restaurant is neglected, fell apart and completely destroyed, no one cares about it and the government is not giving support to the care takers.
There is a symptom of racism at Waterfalls, on the side where the white people are living, there is a handrail that protects people from falling into the donga but on the other side where there is settlement for the black people there is nothing and the kids are just playing there and no one is doing anything about that, besides the fact that in the past people have fallen inside there and they died, but no one is doing anything.
The good thing on that side of the world is that there is Empopomeni Community Tourist Organisation, which is led by a good leader, disabled African leader, Mr Frank Mchunu, who expressed high level of leadership skills and passion and deserves to be supported.
IsiZulu:
Siyakubonga, Macingwane.
English:
When the committee decided to visit Empopomeni Village, the whole DA delegation didn't go with us, and people there ask us, leaders when you arrive at Howick Waterfalls you were a team of the rainbow nation, now only blacks are coming to the black community, why? We didn't have answers for those things. It was very disappointing and embarrassing to the committee because it means DA cares about their own people not about Empopomeni villagers.
The worst from the transformation representative, they said local black businesses are not considered in these businesses of Howick, so that is a sign of racism. That
thing as EFF we are saying it must end there and as Parliament committee when we go there we must go as collective and as Members of Parliament not as parties. Lot of observations have been there and positive resolutions have been agreed upon. So, we support the report. Thank you very much.
Hon House Chairperson, Howick Falls is one of our many assets of this country; however it requires a lot of attention to make it an attraction that brings in swarms of visitors year on year. This as a natural attraction and as such generates its own traffic in terms of its beauty; however it does require supporting infrastructure to manage its protection and its sustainability.
On the recent oversight to Howick Falls I witness people doing their washing at then apex of the falls. This speaks to two problems, the first is that there is insufficient or no water being channelled to surrounding communities and the government must deliver in this regard. The second is that people who approaching the falls can pose a danger to themselves if they fall in,
furthermore the washing of the clothes in the falls pollutes all the water flowing after it.
There is need to introduce some sort of barrier or fencing before the falls to prevent people from entering such a dangerous point of the falls. Furthermore, we see vandalism of this great attraction due to the lack of proper control of who enters the falls. The IFP calls on the department of tourism to invest more funds in the upliftment of Howick Falls by introducing control mechanisms to limit people from Walking up to dangerous areas and stop vandalism. There is a further need to establish formal structures for trading that complements the look of the falls.
IsiZulu:
Ubandlululo uma ubheka laphaya lusanuka phu.
English:
The IFP supports the report.
House Chair, the Portfolio Committee on Tourism undertook an oversight visit to Howick and also
attended the World Tourism Day celebrations at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site in KwaZulu-Natal Province on 26-28 September 2019. Howick Falls used to be the tourism destination that attracted local and even international tourists.
At least 10 busses used to visit the area per day, and that has been reduced to at least two buses a day. That resulted to job loses and closing of some of businesses in the area, including the community of Empopomeni whose businesses was also affected due to the decline of business in the Howick Falls.
Our observation as the committee was that there is poor coordination amongst the three spheres' of government and that resulted to the following challenges, which are related to crime; for instance drunk driving, drinking in public, litter, drug dealing, drug abuse, vandalism and also broken ablution facilities of the precinct. Whilst at Howick Falls, the committee notice that on the other side of the falls there is a community living in the squatter settlement without water, as a result this
community uses water at the edge of the falls for washing and other household uses.
Our recommendations, the committee recommended that the Minister of Tourism engages the Member of Executive Council, MEC, for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal to engage Umngeni Local Municipality to do the following: Develop the Howick Falls Precinct Development Plan, and provide feedback report on the execution of the Plan, and report to Parliament on quarterly basis, provide monthly progress reports to all affected tourism stakeholders, including Parliament, develop the Transformation Oversight Action Plan, and also feedback on the plan to declare Howick Falls as National Heritage Site, identification of all pieces of legislation that hinder growth of tourism businesses in South Africa, avail Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, houses for the resettlement of the informal community that is currently residing in the Howick Falls precinct, mobilisation of volunteers to clean the Howick Falls precinct, interact with the Department of Basic Education to develop a schedule for school tours to Howick Falls. I
therefore request that the House adopt the Howick report. Thank you.
Hon members, that conclude the debate and the business of this Mini- Plenary, the Mini-Plenary will now rise.
The Mini-Plenary rose at 15:45. -----------------------