SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS - Department of Agriculture and ...

UKDM ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 

SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS 

SECTION 3 

Draft Desired State Report (May 2013) Page 28


3 SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS 

‘Sensitivity’ is regarded as the inherent quality of an environmental feature, which is 

derived from the following traits: 

Goods and services offered; 

Scientific importance; 

Legal status / protection level; and 

Vulnerability / tolerance to change. 

The process adopted in undertaking the sensitivity analysis for the EMF Desired State 

phase consisted of the following: 

1. Integrate spatially represented baseline information from the 

status quo assessment; 

2. Identify the environmental features and their 

associated attributes that portray the 

environmental sensitivity of UKDM, based on the 

outcomes of the Status Quo phase; 

3. Assign sensitivity ratings; 

4. Mapping of sensitivity by – 

a. Overlaying base layers in the Geographic 

Information System (GIS) to compile sensitivity 

maps for various environmental features; and 

b. Combining separate sensitivity maps to prepare a 

composite map that reflects the Environmental 

Control Zones. 

3.1 Determining Sensitivity per Environmental Feature 

Groupings of homogenous environmental features and attributes in uMkhanyakude that 

depict the sensitivity of the area were allocated weightings, based on their intrinsic 

qualities that render them as sensitive. In this way, baseline information was transformed 

into secondary information that attached values to different features. 



These ratings were based on input received from the environmental specialists that aided 

in compiling the EMF Status Quo Report. The sensitivity scale that was employed ranged 

from low to very high (see Table 2). 

Table 2: Environmental Sensitivity Scale (Note: sensitivity based on a single criterion / 

combination of criteria, where applicable to the feature) 

Sensitivity Rating 

Low 

 

Medium 

 

High 

 

Very High 

Description 

The inherent feature status and sensitivity is already significantly 

degraded. Environmental goods and services depleted / 

compromised. Any significant environmental – development 

change will not influence the current status. 

The inherent feature status and sensitivity will not be influenced 

by any significant environmental – development change. 

Environmental – development change may influence the current 

status of the feature, either negatively or positively. Feature 

offers intact environmental goods and services / supports 

environmental goods and services offered by other feature(s). 

Feature may be afforded legal protection status. 

Environmental – development change will significantly influence 

the feature, either negatively or positively. Feature offers critical 

environmental goods and services. Feature afforded legal 

protection status. 

The sensitivity of the key environmental features in UKDM is portrayed in the subsections 

to follow. 

3.1.1 Agriculture 

High value agricultural land in UKDM must be conserved for production purposes, whilst 

concurrently addressing the need for economic growth and development in the district. 

High agricultural potential is regarded as a scarce non-renewable resource and 

accordingly a risk averse and cautious approach should be adopted when development 

of such land for purposes other than agricultural production is proposed. 

The overarching management mechanism (apart from legal provisions) is the KZN 

Agricultural Land Categories Spatial Decision Support tool which aims to guide and assist 

municipalities within the province with the compilation of various planning documents 



such as the Integrated Development Plan's (IDP's), Spatial Development Framework's 

(SDF's) and Land Use Management Schemes (LUMS), but also to give direction to 

prospective developers when proposing land use change. 

The table to follow reflects the sensitivity ratings assigned to the various agricultural 

attributes in the district. 

Table 3: 

Sensitivity Ratings assigned to Category: Agriculture 

Category Sensitivity Criteria Attributes Rating 

Category A: Irreplaceable 

VH 

Category B: Threatened 

H 

Category C (Primary Agricultural Land Use) 

M 

AGRICULTURE 

KZN Agricultural 

Land Categories 

Category D: Secondary Agricultural Land Use 

Category E: Mixed Land Use 

M 

L 

Category Waterbodies 

Restricted 

Category Permanently Transformed 

Restricted 

Category Proclaimed Reserves 

Restricted 

Figure 10: Agricultural Sensitivity Map 



3.1.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity 

The vision for terrestrial biodiversity in UKDM includes the following: 

Contributing to national conservation targets; 

Identifying sensitive areas and establish protection status; 

Protecting Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA); 

Maintaining and promoting environmental corridors and connectivity; 

Maintaining the status of protected areas sand RAMSAR sites; 

Preventing the illegal or unsustainable use of natural resources; 

Restricting development in conservation priority areas; 

Protecting sensitive and conservation-worthy ecosystems (e.g. Sensitive Sand Forest, 

Coastal Grasslands); 

Eradicating alien invasive species (terrestrial and aquatic); and 

Protecting Important Birding Areas. 

Apart from the strong legislative framework that protects terrestrial biodiversity, various 

mechanisms exist to manage the associated features. Protected areas are managed in 

accordance with their respective Integrated Management Plans (IMPs) and buffer zones 

(where applicable). In KZN the CBA is one of the sensitive layers against which several 

activities are listed, and which would require environmental authorisation in terms of GN 

No. R546 (2010) if the project falls within the CBA identified areas. The CBA map for 

UKDM has been created as part a strategic planning strategy to ensure biodiversity 

conservation and persistence in the district. A Biodiversity Sector Plan is also being 

developed for uMkhanyakude. The various authorities that are responsible for biodiversity 

management in the district include DEA, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) and the 

iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. 

The rich biodiversity in UKDM is revealed in terms of the various sensitive features that 

are rated in the table to follow. 



Table 4: 

Sensitivity Ratings assigned to Category: Terrestrial Biodiversity 


TERRESTRIAL 

BIODIVERSITY 

Protected Areas 

Important Bird Areas 

Critical Biodiversity Areas 

Categories 

Community Conservation 

Area 

Stewardship Programme 

Transfrontier 

Conservation Areas 

(TFCAs) 

Vegetation types 

World Heritage Site - iSimangaliso 

Wetland Park 

Nature Reserves - Statutory 

Protected 

Game Farms / Private Conservation 

areas 

CBA 1 

CBA 2 

CBA 3 

Usuthu-Tembe-Futi TFCA 

Ponta do Ouro-Kosi Bay TFCA 

Nsubane-Pongola TFCA 

Critically Endangered 

Endangered 

Vulnerable 

Least Threatened 

iSimangaliso Wetland Park 

VH 

RAMSAR Sites 

Ndumo Game Reserve 

VH 

Core areas, which are needed to 

meet species and landcover type VH 

targets 

Linkages, which are needed to meet 

Maputaland Centre of 

connectivity targets and ensure 

Endemism Conservation 

each core area is not isolated. 

Planning 

These linkages can be managed 

H 

less intensively for conservation and 

allow for climate change, plant and 

animal dispersal, etc. 

Connectivity Ecological Corridors H 

Ridges with slopes > 5° Lebombo Mountain Range VH 

Ground-truthed sensitive 

H 

sites 

Transformation (KZN 

2008 Transformation 

Layer) 

Restricted 

VH 

VH 

M 

H 

VH 

H 

M 

H 

H 

H 

H 

H 

VH 

H 

H 

L 



Figure 11: Terrestrial Biodiversity Sensitivity Map 

3.1.3 Terrain & Geotechnical Conditions 

The Development Potential Zonation (DPZ) (Table 5) conducted for UKDM as part of the 

Status Quo assessment is based on a geotechnical and engineering geological 

interpretation of bedrock geology, soil land types, drainage and slope gradients. The 

assessment was based on the 1:250,000 published geological maps, the ARC-ISCW 

Land Type mapping and inventory data (Soil and Irrigation Research Institute, 1986 a, b, 

1988) and 90m SRTM Digital Elevation Model (DEM). 

The DPZ map provides a broad based geotechnical assessment of the study area which 

can be used in a regional development planning or conservation context. The map is the 

product of a desktop study and a site investigation was not carried out so this map must 

not be used to replace or substitute detailed geotechnical assessment of specific 

development sites. 



Table 5: 

Sensitivity Ratings assigned to Category: Terrain & Geotechnical Conditions 


TERRAIN & 

GEOTECHNICAL 

CONDITIONS 

Development 

Potential Zones 

DPZ 1: River channels and dams 

DPZ 2: Wetlands and floodplains 

DPZ 3: Very steep slopes; >18 o 

DPZ 4: Low gradient slopes with clay-rich soils 

DPZ 5: Low gradient slopes with duplex soils 

DPZ 6: Medium gradient, rocky slopes 

DPZ 7: Medium to high dune topography with 

poorly drained interdune depressions 

DPZ 8: Low dunes with less interdune 

wetlands 

DPZ 9: Low gradient slopes and shallow soils 

on bedrock 

DPZ 10: Deep sandy soils and low gradients 

VH 

VH 

VH 

VH 

M 

M 

M 

L 

L 

L 

Figure 12: Terrain & Geotechnical Sensitivity Map 



3.1.4 Geohydrology 

Most of the municipal area falls within two hydrogeological regions defined on the basis of 

lithology and climatology, namely: 

• Northern Coastal Plain Hydrogeological Region - 

This region lies east of the Lebombo mountains and comprises the Cretaceous 

Zululand Group rocks overlain by Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene dune deposits. 

The development potential is low to medium. The associated aquifers are vulnerable 

to pollution. Depending on the level of dependence of the rural settlements the risk 

can be between low and medium. However, nothing is known about the sources of 

pollution and these needs to be determined. 

• Southern Lebombo Hydrogeological Region - 

With five irrigation boards in this region it is reasonable to assume that groundwater is 

used for irrigation purposes. However, this assumption needs to be tested and if 

found to be correct the level of groundwater use must be determined. No protection 

actions can be defined unless the level of use and potential threats to groundwater 

has been determined. Most of the rural settlements are largely or wholly dependent 

on groundwater for their domestic supplies and thus represent a large component of 

the domestic water use sphere. However, very little, or no data are available on, a) 

their dependence on groundwater, b) their vulnerability to droughts, and c) the 

volumes being abstracted, all of which is needed to define the level of the impact on 

the groundwater resources of the underlying areas. No proactive action can be taken 

in terms of mitigating either vulnerability or augmentation of the supply where there 

are shortages. 

With the shortage of information on these hydrogeological regions, it is not possible to 

provide conclusive comments on their sensitivity on a more refined scale. Nonetheless, a 

coarse sensitivity map was prepared based on the sensitivity rating tabulated below. 

Table 6: 

Sensitivity Ratings assigned to Category: Geohydrology 


GEOHYDROLOGY 

Vulnerable 

Groundwater Zones 

Northern Zululand Coastal Plain Hydrological 

Region 

Southern Lebombo Hydrological Region 

VH 

M 



Figure 13: Geohydrology Sensitivity Map 

3.1.5 Watercourses 

In accordance with the National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998), a watercourse is 

regarded as a river or spring, a natural channel in which water flows regularly or 

intermittently, and a wetland, lake or dam into which, or from which, water flows. 

A watercourse needs to be considered in terms of its “resource quality”, which is defined 

by the National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) as the following: 

Quantity, pattern, timing, water level and assurance of in-stream flow; 

Water quality, including physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water; 

Character and condition of the in-stream and riparian habitat; and 

Characteristics, condition and distribution of the aquatic biota. 

The National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) promotes two complimentary approaches to 

achieve Integrated Water Resource Management, namely Resource Directed Measures 



(RDMs) and Source Directed Controls (SDCs). RDMs focus on the quality of the water 

resource itself, regarding it as an ecosystem rather than a commodity, and comprise the 

following components: Classification system, Reserve and Resource Quality Objectives. 

Practically, giving effect to RDMs means regulating water use through SDCs. SDCs aim 

to control and minimise potential impacts on the water resource so that RQOs are 

achieved. SDCs include regulatory mechanisms such as water use authorisation. UKDM 

falls within the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area for which a Catchment 

Management Agency has been established. 

The UKDM is rich in surface water resources that support a wide biodiversity and is the 

backbone of a thriving tourist industry. The district incorporates many areas relevant to 

freshwater ecosystem conservation and conservation priorities, which include wetland 

clusters, refuge or critically endangered and endangered, as well as otherwise 

threatened, fish species within the Mkuze River, Pongola River and the freshwater 

coastal lakes. These features are largely dependent on the quality of the resource that 

originates outside of conserved areas, which is difficult to manage. The surface water 

resources and the associated habitat units within UKDM need to be managed in a 

sustainable and responsible manner, whilst still allowing for continuous socio-economic 

development and perpetual support of the rural subsistence sector, in a way that is not 

detrimental to the quality of the resource and threatening to the overall integrity of the 

vast rivers and wetlands that support conservation and tourism in the district. 

Table 7: 

Sensitivity Ratings assigned to Category: Watercourses 

Category Sensitivity Criteria Rating 

WATERCOURSES 

Wetlands 

Protected Areas 

Watercourses - 50m buffer zones 

Watercourses - 100m buffer zones 

Designated buffer zones associated with major wetland cluster 

areas and major floodplain areas 

Areas of high wetland occurrences that can be grouped 

(clusters) 

VH 

VH 

VH 

H 

H 

H 



Figure 14: Watercourses Sensitivity Map 

3.1.6 Coastal & Estuarine Environment 

The entire coastal and estuarine environment of UKDM falls within the framework of the 

iSimangaliso Wetland Park IMP. The vision for the Wetland Park is shaped by the World 

Heritage Convention Act and Park Regulations, and is an overarching declaration 

describing the desired future state. The Vision for the Park is (iSimangaliso Wetland Park 

Authority, 2011) is as follows: 

“To protect, conserve and present the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and its World Heritage 

and cultural values for current and future generations in line with the standards laid down 

by UNESCO and the World Heritage Convention Act, to deliver benefits to communities 

living in and adjacent to the Park by facilitating optimal tourism and related development, 

and to promote equitable access.” 

The park is managed by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, who reports to the 

Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs. EKZNW serves as the contracted 



Conservation Agency and is responsible for day-to-day conservation as well as 

compliance and enforcement. 

All coastal and estuarine environments fall within a World Heritage Site (WHS), the 

iSimangaliso Wetland Park WHS, and therefore have the highest level of protection. 

Furthermore, the majority of these two environments (i.e. coastal and estuarine) also fall 

within three Ramsar wetland sites of international importance, the Kosi Bay System, 

Turtle Beaches and Coral Reefs of Tongaland and the St. Lucia System. Estuary and 

coastal environments by definition are wetland habitats and are therefore considered to 

be habitats with high sensitivity to developments. These criteria all indicate that these 

environments must be regarded as having “Very High” sensitivity (see Table 8). In 

addition, because of the areas long history of conservation, the coastal and estuarine 

environments for the most part are in a largely pristine condition and therefore the innate 

quality of the features are high, thereby further enhancing their sensitivity. 

Table 8: 

Sensitivity Ratings assigned to Category: Coastal & Estuarine Environment 


COASTAL & 

ESTUARINE 

ENVIRONMENT 

World Heritage Site Estuarine habitats 

VH 

(iSimangaliso Consolidated Coastal habitats 

VH 

boundary) 

Zone of Influence 

M 

St Lucia System (including 

Mgobezleni Estuary & Mfolozi 

VH 

Ramsar Site Status 

Estuary Mouth) 

Kosi Estuary 

VH 

Turtle Beaches and Coral Reefs of 

Tongaland 

VH 

Habitat (Wetlands) Estuarine Open Waters VH 

Mangrove Swamps 

Sand & Mudbanks 

Sea Grass Beds 

Rocky Intertidal & Subtidal Rocky 

Reefs 

Coral Reefs 

Turtle Nesting Sandy Beaches 

Submarine Canyons 

VH 

VH 

VH 

VH 

VH 

VH 

VH 



Figure 15: Coastal & Estuarine Environment Sensitivity Map 

3.1.7 Heritage 

Heritage resources have lasting value and provide evidence of the origins of South 

African society and as they are cherished, finite, non-renewable and irreplaceable they 

must be carefully managed for future generations. 

Amafa / Heritage KwaZulu Natali is the provincial heritage conservation agency for KZN. 

Amafa was established as a statutory body in terms of the KZN Heritage Act of 1997, 

which was repealed by the KZN Heritage Act of 2008. 

According to the KZN Heritage Act (Act No. 04 of 2008), the following are categorised as 

“heritage assets”: 

Places, buildings, structures and equipment of cultural significance; 

Places to which oral traditions are attached and/or places associated with living 

heritage; 



Historic settlements and townscapes; 

Landscapes and natural features of scientific and cultural importance; 

Archaeological and paleontological sites; 

Graves and burial grounds; 

Movable objects including: 

o Objects recovered from the soil or waters of the Province of KZN, including 

archaeological and paleontological objects, materials, meteorites and rare 

geological specimens; 

o Ethnographic art and objects; 

o Military objects; 

o Objects of decorative art; 

o Objects of fine art; 

o Objects of scientific or technological interest; 

o Books, records, documents, photographic positives and negatives, graphs, films 

and video materials and sound recordings; 

Battlefields; and 

Traditional building techniques and vernacular architecture. 

Some of the more significant heritage sites in UKDM include Border Cave, Ghost 

Mountain and King Dingane’s grave in the Hlathikhulu forest. 

The sensitivity rating of heritage sites in the district, based on their grading, is shown in 

Table 9. 

Table 9: 

Sensitivity Ratings assigned to Category: Heritage 


HERITAGE 

Archaeological – (Stone Age 

& Iron Age) 

Historical - 

• Monuments 

• Buildings/structures 

Historical 

Traditional burials 

Graveyards 

Unmarked scattered graves 

National (Grade I) 

Provincial (Grade II) 



Local (Grade III) 

Generally protected A 

Cultural Village Generally protected B M 

VH 

H 

H 



Figure 16: Heritage Sensitivity Map 

3.1.8 Non-sensitive Areas 

Although the district contains vast areas that are sensitive from an environmental 

perspective, it is important to highlight those sites which are not significant from an 

ecological perspective. 

The non-sensitive areas are preferred sites for the location of activities and developments 

that pose a medium to high risk of environmental impacts, where the receiving 

environment is less susceptible to degradation. In recognising the poor economic status 

of the district, it is essential that opportunities for development be identified and exploited 

in a reasonable and responsible manner. 

Non-sensitive sites (as shown in Figure 17), were regarded as transformed and 

permanently transformed areas (i.e. built up areas, mines and quarries). These areas 

were based on the landcover data derived from SPOT satellite imagery. Circumspection 



was applied when this area was demarcated, as restrictions were placed on any areas 

where sensitive features were known to occur. 

Figure 17: Non-sensitive Areas Map 

3.2 Environmental Constraint Zones 

By superimposing the various sensitivity maps in the GIS, Environmental Constraints 

Zones (ECZs) are produced (see Figure 18). These zones maintain the sensitivity ratings 

allocated to the environmental features and attributes as part of the sensitivity analysis. 

Due to their innate characteristics, the environmental feature categories (agriculture, 

terrestrial biodiversity, terrain and geological conditions, watercourses, marine and 

coastal environment, heritage) highlight areas that pose limitations to development in 

UKDM. Conversely, these characteristics promote certain types of development that 



harness the land potential and support the management objectives linked to the sensitive 

features and attributes. 

Figure 18: ECZs in UKDM 



Figure 18, which is dominated by the ‘Very High’ ECZ, reflects the remarkable 

abundance of sensitive environmental features and attributes in UKDM. It emphasises 

the challenge faced in identifying suitable land that is available for development. On the 

other hand, it also highlights the district’s environmental wealth that can be exploited for 

commensurate development types, such as tourism and agriculture. 

The ECZs present a crucial component of the EMF’s progression towards delineating 

Environmental Management Zones that present a balanced depiction of uMkhanyakude’s 

desired state. These zones are the product of the interrogation and assessment of the 

Status Quo information and the realisation of the district’s possible restrictions to 

development pressures and opportunities. 



DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES 

& TRENDS 

SECTION 4 



4 DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES & TRENDS 

Development is guided by various factors, including related policies and plans, population 

growth and distribution, income distribution, employment sectors, economic drivers, 

natural resource exploitation and growth sectors (amongst others). Development should 

strive to meet the societal needs while accommodating the receiving environment without 

compromising its goods and services. 

The EMF needs to take cognisance of future development pressures and trends in 

uMkhanyakude. Where possible, these developments should be accommodated as they 

contribute towards the much needed socio-economic enhancement of the district. 

Conversely, areas of potential conflict between earmarked developments and sensitive 

environmental features need to be identified to determine a sustainable way forward. 

In the sections to follow some of the key development pressures and trends in UKDM are 

examined further. 



4.1 KZN PGDS 

The KZN Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) aims to drive and direct 

growth and development in the Province to the year 2030. The PGDS consists of a 

Strategic Analysis of the current growth and development situation in the Province, and 

sets a vision on where the Province aims to be in 2030. It identifies seven strategic goals 

and thirty strategic objectives that will drive the Province towards this vision. The seven 

strategic goals of the PGDS are captured in the diagram to follow. 

Figure 19: KZN PGDS Framework (KZN Provincial Planning Commission, 2012) 

Some of the strategic objectives that have particular implications for environmental 

planning in UKDM include: 

Unleash agricultural potential; 

Sustainable human settlements; 

Development of road and rail networks; 

Improve water resource management and supply; 

Increase productive use of land; 

Advance alternative energy generation and reduce reliance on fossil fuels; 



Manage pressures on biodiversity; 

Actively promote spatial concentration and co-ordination of development 

interventions; and 

Facilitate integrated land management and spatial planning. 

4.2 Planning 

Focused development interventions are required in nodal and corridor areas to ensure 

that initiatives are co-ordinated, cost effective and not counterproductive. 

4.2.1 Hierarchy of Nodes 

The Provincial Spatial Economic Development Strategy (PSEDS) has identified a 

hierarchy of provincial nodes which 

contribute strategically to the provincial, 

regional and local economies as well as 

service as vital service centres to 

communities. Seven quaternary nodes 

have been identified for UKDM. On 

district level, three primary nodes, four 

secondary nodes and eight tertiary 

nodes have been identified (see Figure 

20). 

Figure 20: Proposed Hierarchy of Nodes in UKDM 



Three towns have been identified as primary nodes in the district: Mtubatuba, Hluhluwe 

and Mkhuze. Mtubatuba in the south is the largest town, followed by Hluhluwe. Mkhuze is 

the administrative seat of the District Municipality. It should be noted that on a provincial 

level these towns are quaternary nodes, which are mainly centres which should provide 

services to the local economy and community needs. The urban area of Mtubatuba is 

893ha in extent, Hluhluwe is 550ha and Mkuze 129ha. These main centres are 

characterised by: 

Central Business Districts incorporating public sector, business (offices), wholesale 

and retail outlets and limited area allocated to manufacturing and processing. Most of 

the commercial and industrial uses of the district are concentrated in these centres. 

Industries are linked to tourism and agriculture Retail provide both low and high order 

goods and wholesale is linked with rural traders; 

Informal commercial activities such as fruit traders and taxi’s; 

Formal residential areas including upper and middle income housing as well as 

subsidised housing for low income earning households; 

Informal housing in pockets in and around the towns; and 

Townships inclusive of lower income households. 

Planning and development have not kept up with the new demands created by the fast 

growth of these towns. 

Jozini, Mbazwana, Manguzi, Hlabisa and have been identified as secondary nodes. 

According to the District SDF, ‘these are generally bustling local services centres each 

with a distinctive character. They tend to be substantially smaller than the primary centres 

with a single main street, a focus on wholesaling and retailing outlets both formal and 

informal and limited formal residential’. Manguzi and Jozini, and, to a lesser extent, 

Mbazwana are growing rapidly and have attracted a variety of services including social 

and welfare and limited support services. 

All four towns have also been identified as quaternary nodes in the Provincial Strategy. 

According to the Strategy, these nodes are mainly centres which should provide services 

to the local economy and community needs. There is a need to put planning in place to 

accommodate the growth of these nodes. 



The iSimangaliso Wetland Park has also been identified as a secondary node but for 

tourism. 

Eight tertiary nodes have been identified – refer to Table 10. According to the District 

SDF (2008), ‘these all differ in character and function to some degree, but have in 

common the provision of social and welfare services and limited commercial facilities to 

households located in relatively inaccessible areas of the District. All these centres are 

linked by road into the transportation grid and have access to Telkom and in most cases, 

Eskom. These tertiary nodes, when linked with a large number of other non-identified 

nodes in the District, could be used to extend services on a periodic basis to communities 

in inaccessible areas through periodic markets linked to pension payouts on a monthly 

basis. This would serve to extend services without the additional costs of infrastructure 

development and allow for the provision of higher order services in identified centres and 

nodes where they can be sustained.’ 

Table 10: 

Tertiary Nodes 

Node 

Description 

• Ingwavumais located in Jozini LM close to the border with Swaziland. It is172ha in 

extent and had a population of 1 089 in 2001. 

Ingwavuma 

• It has a Traditional Authority office, a post office, police station, prison, schools and a 

hospital. There are also a number of commercial outlets and an airfield. 

• Ubombo is located in Jozini LM and is close to the administrative seat of Mkhuze. It is 

523.03km 2 in extent and had a population of 2 628 in 2001. The town is 49ha. 

Ubombo 

• It has a number of government offices including a court, commercial outlets, health 

and educational facilities. 

Bambanana • Bambanana is located in the northern part of Jozini LM. 

Phelendaba • Phelendaba is located in the northern part of uMhlabuyalingana LM. 

• Located in the southern part of uMhlabuyalingana LM close to lake Sibaya. 

Mseleni 

• It has a hospital several schools and a children’s home. A local community 

development co-operative, Vuka Mabaso, provides a community hall, small business 

premises, market, library, and Internet café and computer training centre. 

• KwaMduku is located the DMA. 

• It is classified as a node given its locality on the LSDI road and the fact that access to 

KwaMduku 

both the Nibela Peninsula and the Phinda Game Reserve is gained from it. There are 

a number of developments in the node and a major sport stadium has been 

developed. There is also increasing pressure for the further development of the node 

as its economic and social roles are recognized by the community and investors alike. 

• Somkhele is located in the southern part of Hlabisa LM. It is 269ha in extent. 

Somkhele 

• It is close to an anthracite mine. 

• Located in the northern part of Jozini LM close to the Mozambique border. 

Ndumo • Ndumo comprises a trading store, a number of other small scale service facilities 

including a school, a clinic and a pension pay point, post boxes and a poor airstrip 



4.2.2 Movement Network 

Corridors/ investment lines have been identified for the District from both a provincial and 

a district level. These provide access on a grid basis to poorly serviced rural areas; while 

protecting the core or wilderness areas of the District. 

The following types of corridors exist in UKDM (see Figure 21): 

Tourism corridors: Routes which primarily serve the tourist trade as well as local 

residents. These would also be considered potential investment corridors for tourism 

related activities; and 

Agricultural corridors: These would mainly serve the farming community as access 

routes to and from suppliers and the markets. 

Figure 21: Provincial Corridors 

The proposed corridors are based on existing alignments which will require upgrading. 

These routes include nodes on main intersections for the location of a wide range of 



services for residents whose access would have hitherto been poor. There are a range of 

different routes ranging from primary through secondary to tertiary, all linking back to the 

core transportation framework for the District. These routes are also aligned with the 

provincial and national transportation routes thereby ensuring that uMkhanyakude is 

accessible at a provincial scale. Finally the tertiary routes terminate in buffer areas 

adjoining core areas of the District. Corridors or routes can be simply graded as primary, 

secondary or tertiary – see table to follow. 

Table 11: 

Corridors 

Category Function Description 

NATIONAL 

Movement 

Tourism 

The N2 from Durban to Mpumalanga, entering uMkhanyakude 

just south of Mtubatuba and exiting the District just north of 

Mkuze. 

This corridor has national and provincial significance as the 

main road through to Swaziland and an alternative route to the 

N3 from Durban to Johannesburg. 

DISTRICT 

INVESTMENT 

CORRIDOR 

Tourism 

The old main road running parallel to and east of the N2 and 

the railway line from south of Hluhluwe to Mkuze which links a 

range of private game reserves and tourism facilities. 

The route needs to be upgraded and surfaced. 

PRIMARY 

CORRIDORS 

link the region into 

the national route 

and form the main 

accessibility lines in 

the District, more or 

less on the 80 km 

grid 

Retail 

Activity 

 

 

 

 

 

The road linking iSimangaliso Wetlands Park and 

Mtubatuba to the N2 

The road linking Hluhluwe – Umfolozi Park to the N2 at 

Hluhluwe 

MR 439 from the N2 through Hluhluwe, Mduku, Mbazwana 

to the Phelendaba T-junction and through Manguzi to the 

Mozambique border at Farazel 

The road north of Mkuze from the N2 up the pass over the 

Lebombo mountains to Jozini, through to the T-junction at 

Bambanana then east to join the MR439 at Phelendaba. 

The road linking Jozini and Mbazwana through Tshongwe. 

All of these corridors have tar surfaces with the exception of the 

Jozini – Mbazwana road which is only partially surfaced 

currently. This is clearly a priority for upgrading in order to 

provide an essential east-west link in the southern portion of 

Maputaland. 



Category Function Description 

SECONDARY 

CORRIDORS 

More localised 

investment lines, in 

many ways, more 

important for the 

local communities 

in creating local 

accessibility 

corridors for 

businesses and 

agriculture. 

TERTIARY 

CORRIDORS 

Services 

Agriculture 

Activity/ 

retail 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The route from Mtubatuba across the N2 to Somkhele 

extending north around the top end of the Hluhluwe- 

Umfolozi Park turning south to link up with Hlabisa 

The roads parallel to the Pongola river floodplain on the 

east and west banks 

The old main road from Jozini north to Ingwavuma closer 

to the base of the mountains 

The road from Bambanana to Ingwavuma 

The road from Mkuze up the pass to Ubombo where it 

descends to the Makathini Flats to join the primary corridor 

from Jozini to Mbazwana. 

The road linking the MR439 through KwaJobe to the Jozini 

– Mbazwana road 

The link up to Ndumo. 

All of these routes are either gravel or tar surfaced. All of them 

ensure that the areas of highest population density are serviced 

by this network of secondary corridors. 

The tertiary corridors form the more minor routes, none being 

surfaced with tar; some are gravelled but in the eastern portion 

of Maputaland, some are still sand roads. These form important 

local networks, linking in those communities to the secondary 

and primary routes. 

4.2.3 UMDA’s Future Development Focus 

The New Strategy for the District Municipality is one of Corridor development (see Figure 

22) and the district has aligned all its Local Municipalities to this strategy. The corridor 

strategy rests on the strengths of the district in terms of its economic advantages based 

on (1) location and (2) the two main sectors of economic activity, namely agriculture and 

tourism. The corridor strategy will be based on integrating economic activities and 

planning future activities to strengthen the strategy (UKDM, 2012). 

The Strategy aims to achieve three major objectives, namely: 

1. Becoming a food production centre; 

2. Becoming an export earner, and 

3. To be a major value add centre. 



In response to the challenges regarding Economic Development the UKDM decided to 

establish the Umhlosinga Development Agency (UMDA). In terms of the agricultural 

alignment to the corridor strategy the UMDA will strategise alongside the following main 

focus points to achieve this outcome: 

Makathini Master Plan; 

Formalizing the Informal Agricultural Industry into Value Chain Program; 

Becoming a Primary Food Producer; 

Becoming a Main Economic Driver; and 

Create and Investor Based Environment. 

In terms of Tourism the UMDA will focus on the following interventions, in order to make 

uMkhanyakude the preferred tourism destination: 

Industry Transformation; 

Create and support the enabling environment for growth; 

Defend domestic market and aggressively grow foreign market; 

Improve destination image and profile; and 

Attract investment in the tourism Industry. 

The marketing of new investment opportunities in the tourism industry will be the focus for 

the 2013 and beyond. The identification of new possibilities and strengthening of current 

products remains a priority. The main focus will be based on opening up new tourism 

destination for visitors (UKDM, 2012). 

The corridor development projects that have been identified in UKDM’s 3 rd Generation 

IDP (2012/2013) are shown in Table 12 and Figure 22. 

Table 12: UKDM Corridor Development Projects (UKDM, 2012) 

Corridor Area Description 

NORTH - SOUTH CORRIDOR (N2) 

(Richards Bay – Mtuba/Habisa – 

Hluhluwe – Mkhuze – Golela 

Mtuba 

Mkuze 

The Timber City, branding this town as such puts it on an 

economic advantage both nationally and internationally. It is the 

only town with a rail design for this. Furniture shall come from 

here. A timber beneficiation precinct shall be established that 

encompasses growing, cutting and manufacturing of timber 

products. Export market may be established with the advantage of 

the airport and rail to Maputo and Swaziland. 

This is a service city. It shall be designed in the proximity of both 



Corridor Area Description 

CULTURAL HERITAGE 

CORRIDOR 

Hlabisa – Nongoma (Gateway to 

the Kingdom) 

BORDER HERITAGE 

CORRIDOR 

(Cecil Mack Pass – Ingwavuma – 

Bambanani – Ngwanase – Kosi 

Bay) 

ZULU OCEAN CORRIDOR 

(Richards Bay – St Lucia – 

Hluhluwe – Kosi Bay to Maputo) 

AISLE OF KINGS HERITAGE 

CORRIDOR 

(Liberation Route: Jozini/N2 

Turnoff – Sikhandane – Kwaliweni 

– Ingwavuma – Cecil Mack Pass) 

MAPUTALAND AEROTROPOLIS 

CORRIDOR 

New City Corridor (Nondabuya) 

sides of the freeway under sustainable cities model as supported 

by DBSA e.g. this will include hospitals, schools, middle income 

housing for civil servants and mini malls. 

Warehousing of all necessary trade to capture border crossing 

Golela people who come to buy stock in South Africa shall be the main 

attraction of this town. 

Was once the biggest pineapple growing town in the country. 

Hluhluwe Strategy it becomes the Fruit Agro precinct and processing city. To 

be linked to markets that supports this and their bi-products. 

Urban renewal programme, it is the gateway to the Zulu Royal land Culture 

branding. This town is the Cultural Industries Precinct comprising of : 

Amphitheatre – for performing Arts , host choirs, scathamiya, etc to seat not 

less than 2000 people, provide bus parking, paved covered walkways 

ICT Precinct with an Arts and culture Mall 

Cecil Mack This is a Heritage City and sees the establishment of Tourism and 

Pass Hospitality Precincts 

Ngwavuma 

This is a community basis town and also commands the 

establishment of a sustainable city and social cultural precinct. 

Bambanani Route to Cecil Sustainable City 

Establishment of a sustainable city at Ngwananse is key. It’s a city 

Ngwananse that is able to generate its own income through beneficiation of its 

products. 

Aquarium (all inland fish and deep sea fish- establish academic 

institution on maritime education) , port, waterfront development – 

Dry Port At Mbazwana 

Kosi Bay Burge Port At Mabasa Tlc 

Aquaculture Precinct At Kosi Bay, Emakhonyeni (Phongola 

River) &Mtubatuba (Mfolozi) & 

Nibela – Prawns, Telapia And Cat Fish Production 

Urban and rural revitalization will get its identity and sustainable meaning through 

revitalization of indigenous cultures, value systems and norms. As part of 

Maputaland revitalization, a process to mobilize the traditional arts, music, dance 

(indlamu), amabutho, izintombi etc will be a focus point. This will ensure an 

incremental strengthening of cultural institutions, moral values and simultaneously 

promotion of sustainable tourism. Related cultural infrastructure development is the 

centre-piece of Amanguni cultural heritage revitalization in every village and 

township. The following projects are envisioned for this corridor: 

The railway line has been proposed on this corridor all the way to 

Mozambique. 

An inland harbour and coastal harbour that shall entail barges to transport 

containers form sea to the shore and storehouses/warehouses and ready for 

transportation and distribution. 

The Waterfront Development shall constitute a mixed use development 

precinct that entails luxury estates and penthouses, Grade A Business Office 

Parks and a Mall that shall enable tourists and traders from Mozambique and 

neighbouring countries to acquire goods without going inland. 

 

 

 

 

 

Signature bridge from the turn-off of Jozini across the gorge 

Liberation Museum 

Indigenous Botanic Gardens At Ubombo Ridge in Skhandane 

In Jozini – An airport for parking small charter, cargo, with warehouses 

{SAMBANE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT} This town will probably adopt the 

name Airport City 

Waterfront Development - Luxury House at Jozini Dam 

This proposed new city around the area of Nondabuya will bring about new 

development as Jozini Town no longer has options for further development due to 

its geographic location. 



Figure 22: UKDM Corridor Development Projects (UKDM, 2012) 

These corridors will need to be screened against the EMF once they have been 

evaluated and finalised. 

Subsequently UMhlosinga initiated the development of the uMkhanyakude Cluster 

Corridor Development Master Plan to steer development in the District and to highlight 

investment opportunities. The plan essentially aims to consolidate the results, findings 

and recommendations of various national and provincial planning initiatives in UKDM into 

a comprehensive development programme which is structured around the spatial concept 

of nodal and corridor development as adopted in the KZN Provincial Spatial Development 

Framework. 



4.3 Sector-related Development 

This section aims to highlight the critical and extensive developments earmarked for 

uMkhanyakude. This allows for pro-active screening of the developments against the 

sensitivity of the district, to scrutinise the desirability of development types and to 

eventually determine a balanced desired state. 

4.3.1 Housing 

There are a more than 1 500 communities within the district, namely: 

uMhlabuyalingana LM: 444; 

Jozini LM: 529; 

Big Five False Bay LM: 43; 

Hlabisa LM: 447; 

Mtubatuba LM: 14; and 

District Management Area: 74. 

The bulk of the unclassified land in the district falls is covered with rural residential and it 

accounts for 55%of the land. Most of the land falls within traditional authority areas and is 

settled in terms of Zulu customary law. 

The District SDF, 2008 predicts that the population for the district will continue to grow at 

a relatively low rate until 2015 where after it will start to decline. Due to the low growth 

rate, it is unlikely that major changes in the population distribution will take place. It is 

however expected that the more rural and inaccessible areas will lose population in 



favour of the larger towns and centres, which are expected to continue growing despite 

the overall decline in the district population. The population density for the District is 48 

people/km 2 , which is extremely low and only 2% of the district land cover is residential. 

The highest population density, 106 people/km 2 , is in Hlabisa LM, followed by Jozini LM 

at 67 people/km 2 and Mtubatuba at 66 people/km 2 . The lowest population density is in the 

DMA, where there is only 4 people/km 2 . This is due to the environmental sensitivity of the 

area. 

Housing projects in UKDM, as listed in the district’s 3 rd Generation IDP (2012/2013), are 

as follows: 

Umhlabuyalingana LM - 

o Mbila, Mashabane and Tembe - each project comprise of 1000 houses to be built; 

o KwaMashabane Rural Housing project has already been granted approval; 

Jozini LM - 

o Sqakatha Rural project; 

o KwaJobe project - completion of the balance of 800 houses; 

o Ndumo Project - part of the Premier’s Ndumo Children’s Flagship Project; 

The Big 5 False Bay LM - 

o Phumlani Slums Clearance; 

o Nibela Rural project - balance of 800 houses; 

Hlabisa LM - 

o Mpembeni Phase II; 

o Hlabisa and Mdletshe Projects comprise of 1000 units each. 

Mtubatuba LM - 

o KwaMsane Extension. 

o Mtuba Project - balance of 240 houses to be completed. 

Additional housing projects identified in the district include Mnqobokazi (1000 residential 

sites) and Khula Village (in site upgrade of 1850 existing households). The Department of 

Human Settlements are also involved with a number of other housing developments in 

UKDM, which will be included in the EMF mapping exercise. 



Dukuduku) presents coastal lowland forest, which lies between the town of Mtubatuba 

and the village of St Lucia. The DukuDuku onsite resettlement project was initiated by the 

Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, which includes the in situ 

formalisation of the existing settlements with limited relocation. 

4.3.2 Agriculture 

The Makhathini Sugar Cane Project (MSCP) is a socio-economic development project 

aimed at establishing an agri-processing business cluster on the Makhathini Flats 

comprising sugar cane farming, a fuel ethanol distillery and electricity generation and/or 

raw sugar production. The project sponsors include IDC, Tongaat Hulett, DBSA, Central 

Energy Fund and Makhathini Agricultural Development Co-operative. 

According to Andisa Agri (Pty) Ltd (2012), The total project footprint, including existing 

irrigated land, on the current Mjindi irrigation Scheme that has been committed, is about 

9,211 ha (see Figure 23). The new sugar cane areas will be located mainly on the 

alluvial terraces east and west of the Phongolo River. These areas fall in areas outside of 

the Phongolo Floodplain as determined by the regulated flood releases from the 

Pongolapoort dam for ecological purposes. The anticipated sugar cane production for the 

development is about 1.1 – 1.2 million tons. Approximately 92 million litres of fuel grade 

ethanol for export and 67 GWh of electricity for feed into the national grid will be 

produced based on the production from the 10,306 ha. Some level of raw sugar may also 

be produced as an additional option at the cost of reduced ethanol production. 



Figure 23: MSCP Locality Map 

DAEA is involved in the following programmes at Makhathini: 

Makhathini Integrated Master Development Plan - Focusing on the development of 

the two local municipalities of Jozini and Umhlabuyalingana. The plan aims to 

integrate all government activities and develop the two main economic driving sectors 

in the area, namely agriculture and tourism. The agricultural sector has four subsectors 

- aquaculture, dry land cropping, irrigation and livestock. 

Aquaculture - The plan is to develop infrastructure at Makhathini Research Station to 

supply fingerlings and release them below the Jozini Dam to ensure a sustainable 

population of fish for the communities along the Phongola River 



Dry Land - Aimed at the higher rainfall areas to the eastern part of Umhlabuyalingana. 

The dry land commodities which have been prioritised for development includes 

mango (4000ha), marula (2000ha), groundnuts (2000ha) and cassava (800ha). 

Crops and Irrigation 

o Makhathini or Mjindi Irrigation Scheme - rehabilitation of the 4570ha of irrigation 

land and infrastructure serviced by Mjindi Farming (Pty) Ltd. 

o Other Irrigation Schemes (Ndumo, Khwehla and Nondabuya) – At planning stage, 

concept designs completed and detail designs and implementation will commence 

next financial year. 

Livestock Programme – 

o The livestock commodity covers the largest part the Makhathini area of the 

approximately 407 000ha. The plan for the livestock is based on a natural resource 

survey and a livestock survey done among the members of the dip tank 

committees of the two existing livestock associations. The livestock plan includes 

the re-establishment of the “Foot and Mouth” redline with an abattoir in close 

proximity of the redline to assist with marketing. The livestock plan also highlights 

training as one of the highest priority areas and indicates the necessity of 

establishing of a farmers training service centre where farmers will have facilities to 

manage and sell their livestock. 

o Livestock Projects – abattoir, red-line and quarantine camps, Livestock Centres, 

dip tanks and stock watering dams / points / ponds. 

4.3.3 Infrastructure 



The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has 

identified the following interventions with regards to infrastructure throughout the district 

(UKDM, 2012): 

Borehole refurbishment; 

Re-instatement / refurbishment of dysfunctional water schemes; 

Operation and maintenance of water supply; 

Technical skills; 

New water infrastructure; and 

Electricity programme. 

4.3.4 Tourism 

The UKDM Tourism Development Plan and Makhathini Flats Tourism and Conservation 

Master Plan provide crucial guidance to tourism development in the district. 

There are a number of major tourism initiatives in uMkhanyakude, which include: 

Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative (LSDI); 

Pongolapoort Dam Tourism Development; 

Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA); 

Mkhuze Regional Airport; 

Tourism Awareness Programme; 

Tourism Business workshops; 

SMME development; 



Product development; 

Promotion of cultural tourism; 

Craft Enterprise Development Programme; and 

Marketing. 

The LSDI is a tri-partite initiative between South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland. As 

part of the LSDI, Route 22 constitutes a road network that traverses the district which is 

intended to unlock uMkhanyakude’s latent tourism revenue and activity potential. There 

are numerous tourism-related draw cards along Route 22, including big five game 

reserves, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve and other tourist 

activities. The road also passes through major towns in the district, providing access to 

shopping, good accommodation and commercial activity for tourists. 

The Lubombo TFCA Protocol was signed between the Governments of Mozambique, 

South Africa and Swaziland on 22 June 2000. These mini TFCAs are as follows: 

Ndumo-Tembe-Futi TFCA is between Mozambique and SA; 

Ponto do Ouro-Kosi Bay Marine and Coastal TFCA is between Mozambique and SA; 

Nsubane-Pongola TFCA is between SA and Swaziland; 

Lubombo Conservancy-Goba TFCA is between Mozambique and Swaziland; and 

Songimvelo-Malolotja TFCA is between SA and Swaziland. 

Mkuze houses the Mkuze air strip. There are plans to upgrade the runway and facilities to 

regional airport status with adequate facilities to handle commercial flights on Boeing 

737s. The upgrade would allow for more direct and quicker access to tourism areas. The 

airport would create a limited 

number of direct jobs but 

provide a significant boost to the 

UKDM economy. 



4.3.5 Alternative Energy 

According to UKDM (2012), the Jozini Hydro is a project that was envisaged during the 

construction of the dam some 42 years ago but due to a variety of factors the project 

never became a reality. The District Municipality of uMkhanyakude recognised the 

opportunity of the project as a possible answer to the lack of electricity supply to the 

greater Makhathini. The Jozini Hydro Project will form part of a long term program to 

generate electricity within the district, supplemented by solar and wind generators. The 

current potential of the Dam is a possible 5 MW. This project will generate the potential 

for further investment in this vital sector. 

According to CSIR (2012), Electrawinds has proposed to construct and operate the 

Mkuze Biomass Power Plant that will have an installed generation capacity of up to 16.5 

MW. The project area is located approximately 2 km west of the town of Mkuze. Biomass 

in the form of sugarcane residue and other sources of woody, non-woody and invasive 

plant biomass will fuel the plant. Generated electricity is planned to be fed into the 

national grid at the onsite 132 kV Mkuze substation. A maximum of 10 ha from the 

available 814 ha for the proposed project will undergo physical alteration for the 

construction of the power plant, overhead power lines, access roads, underground 

cabling and laydown areas. 

Other alternative energy projects are also being planned for UKDM, including wind and 

solar farms. 



4.4 Overlaying Developments with ECZs 

Major developments in UKDM for which spatial data could be sourced are mapped in the 

figure to follow. These developments are overlaid with the EZCs, which reflect the 

environmental sensitivity in the district based on various environmental features (see 

Section 3). 

Figure 24: Proposed major developments against ECZs backdrop 

These developments and other growth demands can potentially be supported in areas 

where existing transformation exists (shown as ‘restricted’ in Figure 24), or where 

detailed specialist studies confirm the receiving environment to be non-sensitive to the 

earmarked development. The last-mentioned would constitute ground-truthing of the EMF 

GIS information. 



DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

& CONSTRAINTS 

SECTION 5 



5 DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES & CONSTRAINTS 

5.1 Development Opportunities 

5.1.1 UKDM’s Competitive Advantages 

The IDP (UKDM, 2012) lists various competitive advantages in the district in terms of 

socio-economic development. Although they are not all associated with uMkhanyakude’s 

intrinsic environmental potential, it is important to take stock of the following advantages 

that promote development in the district: 

1. Strategic Location as a Border District 

Umkhanyakude District borders two important countries to the economy of South 

Africa; Swaziland and Mozambique. This location is important in terms of major 

infrastructure and economic development projects and programmes the two countries 

have embarked upon in close proximity to our border. 

2. Lavumisa and Ponta D’Oro Border Posts (and Possibly Cecil Mack Pass) 

Lavumisa and Ponta D’Oro border post are the most strategic borders south of 

Swaziland and Mozambique. It is through these two border posts that millions of 

people and millions of tons of cargo moves between the three countries, linking these 

countries to South Africa’s premier ports at Richards Bay and Durban Harbours. 

3. Jozini Dam 

Jozini Dam is a major source of drinking water for people; irrigation water for 

agriculture; drinking water for animals; catalyst for urban development and economic 

growth. It is also a source for renewable energy for sustainable energy as a hydroelectric 

scheme. 

4. Isimangaliso Wetland Park and more than 200 km of a pristine coastline 

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site is situated in the district. 

5. Good Climate 

The district has good sunshine (which is conducive for renewable energy generation); 

and weather conditions that support agricultural activities. It is one a few areas that 

you can grow crops throughout the year. It also supports tourism development. 

6. N2, R22 and R66 National Roads 

These three national roads are important for public transport and movement of goods 

between the three countries. 



7. Cultural Heritage 

uMkhanyakude is one of the richest areas in KZN in terms of cultural heritage. 

8. Lebombo Mountain Range 

The Lebombo (or Ubombo) mountain range is an important natural heritage feature of 

the District. 

9. Agriculture Potential 

uMkhanyakude supports extensive and diverse agricultural practice, given the 

climate, soil types and conditions, water availability, and stable weather throughout 

the year. 

10. Mineral Resources 

Diverse mineral resource base found across the district. 

5.1.2 Environmental Opportunities for Development 

The term ‘opportunities’ within the context of this section refers to the manner in which 

the environment in UKDM supports developments of a commensurate nature. Through 

the Status Quo assessment, the following opportunities were identified in uMkhanyakude, 

some of which are also echoed in the preceding section: 

Natural resources form the basis of most of the ecotourism enterprises in the District, 

which includes game viewing, hunting, mountain climbing, 4X4 trails, diving, fishing, 

etc.; 

Exceptionally long coastline of approximately 220km in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park 

WHS, which supports conservation and tourism activities; 

Future TFCA to enhance conservation and tourism in the district; 

The Somkhele Coal Mine in Hlabisa has one of the biggest reserves of open-pit 

anthracite in the country; 

Natural resources are extensively used by the local communities for food, crafts, 

construction and traditional medicine; 

The Jozini Dam forms an integral part of the economy of the region; 

Areas of high agricultural potential are encountered in the district; 

Various environmentally sensitive areas are not formally protected; 

A substantial portion of the Maputaland Centre of Endemism falls within the district; 



Rich biodiversity and high levels of endemism are encountered within the UKDM, 

which is as a result of the myriad of ecosystems and large areas that fall under public 

and private game reserves, as well as Community Conservation Areas; 

The area is afforded substantial visual quality through its topographic features (e.g. 

Lebombo Mountain Range, lakes, vast coastline); 

UKDM contains various heritage and cultural resources. 

In addition, further opportunities to development can be explored by identifying areas 

which have not been designated as sensitive in terms of the ECZs and investigating the 

development potential of these pieces of land. 

5.2 Development Constraints 

The ECZs, which represents the amalgamated sensitivity map for the district, captures 

the development constraints that exist due to the inherent qualities of UKDM’s 

environmental features. Some of these constraints are highlighted: 

A large portion of the district is formally conserved which limits the availability of space 

for other development. In addition, sensitive biodiversity areas also occur outside of 

protected area, which also further restricts development; 

Buffer zones required around waste disposal sites – current encroachment by human 

settlements; 

Restrictions to development posed by certain soil land types; 

Steep terrain in the western portions of the district; 

Floodline restrictions along watercourses; 

Return-flows from intensive agriculture leads to elevated salinity levels, which impacts 

on the aquatic health of the estuaries; 

Wetland systems are sensitive environmental features and hamper development; 

The Northern Zululand Coastal Plain Hydrological Region, which includes the northern 

and eastern parts of the district, consists of aquifers that are very vulnerable to 

pollution and thus require protection; 

Occurrence of mineral resources in protected areas; and 

Competition for water resources. 



DESIRED STATE 

EXPRESSED BY I&APs 

SECTION 6 



6 DESIRED STATE EXPRESSED BY I&APs 

The desired state for uMkhanyakude from the perspective of Interested and Affected 

Parties was determined by means of the following: 

Focus Group Meetings; 

Public meetings; 

Targeted meetings; and 

Reply Forms. 

6.1 Focus Group Meetings 

Focus group meetings were held to engage with a small group of people from various 

backgrounds and sectors to enable these parties to propose a balanced perspective to 

uMkhanyakude’s Desired State. The details of these meetings follow. 

Table 13: 

Details of Focus Group Meetings 

Date Local Municipality Venue 

23 October 2012 

Mtubatuba LM 

Mtubatuba Library 

Hlabisa LM 

Somkhele Area 

24 October 2012 

The Big 5 False Bay LM 

Ngwenya 

Jozini LM 

Mkuze 

25 October 2012 Umhlabuyalingana LM Manguzi / KwaNgwanase 

Notes on the focus group meetings are contained in Appendix B. 

6.2 Meetings 

Various meetings were held with key environmental authorities, interest groups, and the 

general public during the EMF Status Quo and Desired State phases. Considerations for 

uMkhanyakude’s desired state that were expressed during these meetings are captured 

under the Management Priorities (see Section 2). 



6.3 Reply Forms 

A Background Information Document and Rely Form were circulated to Interested and 

Affected Parties during the Status Quo phase. A section of the Reply Form was dedicated 

to establishing the desired state from the perspective of the responding party. Appendix 

C contains the responses elicited by the Reply Forms from I&APs in this regard. 

6.4 EMF Implications 

The aspirations expressed by I&APs for the desired state in UKDM need to be examined 

in terms of the purpose of an EMF and its intended application in the environmental 

decision-making realm as part of a sphere of environmental assessment and 

management tools that are rooted in NEMA and the associated sectoral legislation. 

Where appropriate, I&APs’ comments were included as Management Priorities in the 

EMF. However, the EMF may not necessarily be the appropriate mechanism through 

which some of the comments will be attended to. In some instances, further studies and 

assessments may be required to develop strategies and plans that deal with specific 

issues. This may also require the involvement of various government organisations and 

other relevant parties. The EMF is thus not the single panacea for sustainable 

environmental management in uMkhanyakude and for addressing all of its environmental 

challenges. 

During the development of the EMF, existing policies, strategies, plans and programmes 

of national, provincial and local government were considered. Where the issues raised by 

I&APs are in conflict with governmental objectives, the relevant structures and channels 

need to be pursued to find suitable solutions where the EMF is not necessarily the 

appropriate mechanism.

SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS - Department of Agriculture and ...

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