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

Those not based on membership, whose functions are the concern of the general
community
• The water committee;
• The road maintenance committee; and
• The development committee.
• The rural health motivators
Membership-based groups
• The Maize Farmers' Association
• The Cotton Farmers' Association
• Beekeepers
• Permaculture interest groups
• Fish breeders
• Cattle Farmers' Association (not recognised at the time of the study, but was in
the process of being finalised)
2.4.4.2. Livelihood characteristics and sources of income
The Shewula community is characterised by a high rate of unemployment, and an
exchange economy that includes, but is not limited to, cash. There is a lack of a
reliable and steady cash flow for most households, with the general population living
a subsistence existence.
The primary crops grown in the Shewula area are maize and cotton, although some
members also grow other crops, such as groundnuts, and various types of fruit and
vegetables. Maize is grown mainly for food and the manufacture of traditional brew,
although those with a surplus do store and/or sell some of their produce. Cotton is
the primary cash crop, and the Cotton Farmers Association handles the sale of the
produce to cotton buyers at Maphiveni.
There are some community members who are experimenting with other crops, such
as bananas and pineapples, which they then sell to local customers from the
community who can afford to buy the produce. Groundnuts are another such crop.
Aside from these subsistence and commercial agricultural activities, there are a
number of other means whereby members of the Shewula community earn their
livelihoods. Some residents have employment outside of Shewula (in centres such as
Mbabane, Manzini and Siteki) as well as further afield (such as in RSA, and
especially on the mines). Some remain in Shewula or obtain part-time and/or
seasonal employment with the local sugar companies (this is especially the case
during the harvesting season).
Others supplement their livelihoods by producing products for sale either within the
community or to outside buyers. Some of these alternative income sources include:
• Traditional beer, which is brewed and sold for approximately R1,40/litre.
• Natural resources that are harvested and sold, including firewood, grass,
herbs and wild fruit. Wild guavas, for example, are sold at a cost price of 5c
each, while a 25-litre container of boganu brew sells for R50.
• Some of the women in the community produce handicrafts that they then sell,
such as grass or reed mats and woven baskets. At the moment, the primary
market for these goods is Maphiveni, with some customers coming from
Vuvulani to buy products in Shewula. Shewula community members also
occasionally purchase such items.