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Participant 2
“There’s many challenges in that regard that are looking at challenges, of water security, in terms of invasive alien plants that are encroaching around, in those regions.”
Participant 6
“Ntabankulu is one area which has a scarcity of water. Yeah. We don’t have water. Yeah. A lot of things. Telecommunication, you can mention them. We are so poor infrastructure.”
Natural Resources
The results show that while the district is rich in natural resources, such as rivers, forests and agricultural land, participants noted that these assets are underutilised. Participant 4 described the rivers as valuable but polluted, while forests contribute to oxygen generation, benefiting the community. Participant 5 added that the district’s geography includes coastal and mountainous areas with potential for agriculture and tourism, though these resources are not fully harnessed for economic growth. Participant 5 further emphasised the district’s agricultural and tourism potential, particularly in areas surrounding the Umzimvubu River, which is seen as a future economic driver for the region.
Participant 6 emphasised the district’s forestry potential, both commercial and indigenous, along with resources like land for crop production, livestock and sand mining. However, the challenge lies in converting these natural assets into viable economic opportunities. One focus group participant reiterated the importance of natural resources for subsistence, noting that residents rely on forests for firewood and traditional medicine, as well as agriculture for their livelihoods.
Participants expressed concern that despite the district’s resource wealth, the lack of infrastructure, water scarcity and technical support has hindered their ability to fully leverage these assets for economic development. These challenges not only impact agricultural productivity but also limit broader economic opportunities for the community.
Participant 4
The natural infrastructure that we have here are natural rivers, As natural as they are, the rivers, they are not clean rivers. But it’s a it’s an amenity that we have.
We have also the trees, or we have the forests.
The forests, we you we we use that as a as an advantage because they generate 2 things for us. They generate oxygen, which makes our people to be, you know, not short of oxygen”
Participant 5
“Alfred Ndzo district municipality is a municipality that is composed of 4 local municipalities, and it is a very diverse, local municipality. We’ve got 1 ocean or one, I would say,
one sea, which is, which is wild coast. And also, there’s a belt of mountains at the at Matatiel local municipality. It is rich in agriculture and tourism attraction. It is rich in agriculture and tourism, attraction.We also have Umzimvubu River, which
we know is the is one of the sources of many future prospects regarding the economy of South Africa”
Participant 6
In terms of natural features, we have natural resources. Now
your forestry. We have a for forestry potential. Both commercial, talking about plantations and also in indigenous forest. They
are unusable. In terms for economic spinoffs. Yes. We have land,
as you know, that, we are in rural areas. We have land for crop production. We have livestock. For farming. We have, sand mining. Because, sand mining is one of the economic features We have natural resources... forestry potential, land for crop production, livestock, sand mining. But the challenge is how to convert those natural resources to be suitable for economic growth.”
Focus group participant
“I would also say that it talks about, the availability of natural resources that are readily available and the people of Winnie Madikizela that are used for their well-being and livelihoods. Forest, we use them for Firewood and also for natural, indigenous medications at some point, and then agricultural activities in terms of, crop crops and livestock, as we are predominantly subsistence. So all the agricultural activities are from more mostly from land to mouth for just for human consumption.
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