Draft Status Quo Report for the Pixley Ka Seme ... - SRK Consulting
Draft Status Quo Report for the Pixley Ka Seme ... - SRK Consulting
Draft Status Quo Report for the Pixley Ka Seme ... - SRK Consulting
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<strong>SRK</strong> <strong>Consulting</strong> in association with BKS<br />
<strong>Pixley</strong> <strong>Ka</strong> <strong>Seme</strong> Local Municipality EMF – <strong>Draft</strong> <strong>Status</strong> <strong>Quo</strong> <strong>Report</strong> Page 48<br />
represents just under 2% of <strong>for</strong>mal employment in <strong>the</strong><br />
Province, underestimating <strong>the</strong> wider tourism sector<br />
contribution.<br />
At a regional level, <strong>the</strong> municipal areas fall within <strong>the</strong><br />
Grass and Wetlands tourism region or ‘route’. Its<br />
attractions include a varied mixture of natural and<br />
heritage attractions (PKSLM, 2008). Visitor numbers to<br />
<strong>the</strong> municipality are probably between 150,000 and<br />
300,000 per year (Van Zyl, 2010). Table 3-17 provides a<br />
summary of <strong>the</strong> number of beds available in PKSLM.<br />
Table 3-17: Bed numbers and likely<br />
accommodation related employment in <strong>the</strong> study<br />
area<br />
Municipality/town<br />
No of beds -<br />
Low<br />
Income<br />
No of beds -<br />
Middle<br />
Income<br />
No of beds -<br />
High<br />
Income<br />
Total<br />
Wakkerstroom and surrounds 64 192 64 320<br />
Volksrust and surrounds 160 480 160 800<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r parts of <strong>Pixley</strong> ka <strong>Seme</strong> 20 60 20 100<br />
Total beds in study area 244 732 244 1220<br />
Ave jobs per bed 0.2 0.35 0.5<br />
Total jobs in accom 49 256 122 427<br />
Data on accommodation and o<strong>the</strong>r tourist-focused<br />
commercial activities in <strong>the</strong> study area indicates an<br />
estimate of between 636 and 776 total direct tourism<br />
jobs at present (see Table 4-5).<br />
Table 3-18: Total tourism related employment in<br />
<strong>the</strong> study area<br />
Estimated employees in <strong>the</strong><br />
municipal area<br />
Low Medium High<br />
Accommodation 385 427 470<br />
Restaurants 108 120 132<br />
Tourist products and shops 72 80 88<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r tourist services and activities 71 78 86<br />
Total 636 705 776<br />
There has been a highly impressive localised increase in<br />
tourism. Anecdotal evidence and interviews with<br />
stakeholders indicates that <strong>the</strong>re has been around 7 to<br />
10 times growth in <strong>the</strong> Wakkerstroom area over <strong>the</strong> last<br />
6-7 years based largely on birdwatching. This has been<br />
a major contributor to employment growth in <strong>the</strong> area<br />
(Van Zyl, 2010). Even with this level of growth,<br />
tourism is still relatively small both in absolute terms<br />
and relative to <strong>the</strong> rich tourism assets offered by<br />
Wakkerstroom and <strong>the</strong> wider region. It is thus likely<br />
that growth should remain high <strong>for</strong> some time<br />
particularly if <strong>the</strong> area is marketed well and appropriate<br />
steps are taken to ensure <strong>the</strong> protection of tourism assets<br />
(Van Zyl, 2010).<br />
Despite its growth, <strong>the</strong> tourism sector remains<br />
underdeveloped in <strong>the</strong> Province and certainly in <strong>the</strong><br />
study area and GSDM as a whole. Besides <strong>the</strong><br />
Important Birding Area status of Wakkerstroom, <strong>the</strong><br />
Volksrust area has significant potential <strong>for</strong> high levels<br />
of cultural tourism. Farm and game farm tourism<br />
focused on <strong>the</strong> eastern PKSLM has had increased<br />
interest and growth.<br />
The MTGS emphasizes that much more can be done to<br />
translate <strong>the</strong> Province’s natural, historical and cultural<br />
resource base into a significant tourism industry.<br />
Wakkerstoom is highlighted in <strong>the</strong> MTGS both as one<br />
of ten tourism development nodes in Mpumalanga, and<br />
as a key place of interest out of 15 such places<br />
identified throughout Mpumalanga.<br />
3.6.4 Mining<br />
Mining in <strong>the</strong> study area is dominated by relatively<br />
small scale coal production, with some sand and<br />
dolerite mining. The economic benefits associated with<br />
coal mining are not particularly significant in <strong>the</strong> local<br />
area, although <strong>the</strong>re most likely has been expansion<br />
since 2001. Employment is estimated between 100 and<br />
200 persons (Van Zyl, 2010).<br />
Current levels of mining activity in <strong>the</strong> area are<br />
particularly low considering <strong>the</strong> large extent of coal<br />
underlying PKSLM. The sizable deposits are at deeper<br />
levels and <strong>the</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e often uneconomical at present<br />
prices. Small-scale coal mining is occurring in <strong>the</strong> east<br />
of <strong>the</strong> municipal where seams are close enough to <strong>the</strong><br />
surface to support this level of exploitation. Over <strong>the</strong><br />
longer term demand <strong>for</strong> coal is likely to remain<br />
relatively high which may result in currently<br />
uneconomical deposits being mined. The use of UCG<br />
technology shows high levels of promise and may drive<br />
demand <strong>for</strong> deep-lying coal deposits. UCG allows<br />
access to o<strong>the</strong>rwise non-viable deep coal deposits by<br />
gasifying <strong>the</strong> coal underground and pumping it out as<br />
gas. Environmental benefits of <strong>the</strong> UCG include 15-<br />
25% less carbon emission per megawatt generated due<br />
to greater efficiencies and lower particulate sulphur<br />
dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions (in Van Zyl,<br />
2010).<br />
KILI/BEAT G:\404946_PIXLEY EMF\7REPORTS\<strong>Status</strong> <strong>Quo</strong> report\<strong>Draft</strong> report\<strong>Draft</strong> status quo report, July 2010.docx July 2010