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within 5 - 10 km. The remaining 38% ofpeople (and 58% of settlements) have poor access,
being located further than 10 km from the nearest to peosion pay points. It also emerged that
as many as 74% ofthe settlements in Nongoma, and 55% in Ulundi fall into the latter group
of under-serviced communities. Apart from pensions, many other grants are paid at such
localities, including the disability, child support, foster care, grant-in-aid and war veteran
grants.
From a market orientated understanding, the study recognises social grants as a short-term
relief measure to soothe the pain of unemployment and joblessness in Ulundi and the country
as a whole. However, a concern has emerged regarding the administration of grants, in that
social-grant payments are misappropriated or leaked, and as such they do not contribute
directly to the gross geographic product ofthe area (Sibiya, Per. Comm., 2I-02-2006a).
5.5.4 Access to police stations
The notion of safety and security, in any growing economy, is important for any particular
economy to grow and prosper. The Ulundi environment, like many other places in KwaZulu­
Natal needs the presence of a safety and security agency. In this regard, there are only 18
police stations in the Zululand District, with the result that 60% of settlements and 43% of
people live beyond easy reach 10 km of police services. Again the highest levels of
inaccessibility are found in Nongoma and Ulundi, that is 90% of the people and 76% of the
settlements are outside the location of easy-reach. In this regard this study. pays attention to
the role of safety and security in justiJYing a well secured economy and spatially related
business practice.
5.6 NATURAL RESOURCES
A resource is a subjective concept (Magi, 1986). In this regard and for purposes of this
research study, a natural resource may be seen as a natural feature. an area or facility which
can provide a constructive economic, social and recreation activity. It has further been argued
that resources are all the things. material or non-material, that are valuable to human society
and to life in general. and as such resources are the mainstay of human activities. be they
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