Feasibility Study of Proposed Tourism Dev in Shewula, NE ...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank the people of the Shewula community for their hospitality and
generosity in welcoming us into their community. It was their drive and initiative, which
provided the impetus for the study. Their enthusiasm to participate in and assist the research
process is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are also due to the numerous volunteer
researchers who participated in the study.
The authors are also indebted to members of the Shewula-Mbuluzi-Mlawula Trust, in particular
those who sat on the Shewula Trust Working Group. Their determination to see the Shewula
community benefit from tourism development has supported their community's initiatives, and
will continue to do so for some time to come.
The authors would especially like to thank the following individuals:
Chief Mbandzamane Sifundza (the Chief of Shewula), for his co-operation in the study, and for
providing contact with numerous members of the Shewula.
Bernard Sifundza (Secretary to Chief Sifundza), who patiently assisted the study team in its
endeavours and whose unstinting determination to see the project become a reality is an
inspiration;
Amos Magagula and Alfred Mabila (Shewula community members and translators for the
study) who assisted the researchers above and beyond the call of duty;
Sikhumbuzo Dlamini (Head Warden, Mbuluzi Game Reserve), for his willingness to share and
debate his insights into Swaziland's socio-political context, and for his assistance during our
time in the field;
George White (Manager, Tambankulu Sugar Estate) & family, for demonstrating a sense of
industry's social responsibility, and for the wonderful accommodation and assistance with
logistical difficulties such as internet access,
Kim Roques (Head Warden, Mlawula Nature Reserve) for the use of that reserve's facilities
ranging from telephone to tin bath tubs (and without whom, the authors might never have
known the value of a good fire and running water);
Bhekisisa Ginindza (Environmental Education Officer and acting Community Outreach officer,
Mlawula Nature Reserve) for bearing with us while we annexed the education centre's
flipboard, occupied its conference room and borrowed its video machine;
Giorgio Menchini (Legambiente), Daniela Ambrosi & family, who provided support and
guidance for the study and whose Italian hospitality knows no bounds;
Trevor Sandwith (Kwa-Zulu Natal Nature Conservation Services, facilitator for establishing the
Lubombo Conservancy and supervisor to the study), for his insights into the research process,
alternatives for management models and case studies of community-based tourism as well as
his patience in reading numerous drafts of this report.
Lynton Burger, from the Environmental Evaluation Unit at University of Cape Town, for his
comments on a draft of this report.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the role of the Peace Parks Foundation in providing the
necessary financial support for the study. Thanks are especially due to March Turnbull, Stefan
Coetzee, and Werner Myburgh for the logistical support, literature sources and regular liaison
that they provided to the study.
iii