Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 7.5
Average employment on private game reserves in
Zululand in 2000, South Africa
Price category
a
Average no.
Employees
Average number
Average
Average price
employees
per hectare
employees
price per
per bed
(US$)
a
per bed
bed (Rands)
Low (
n
= 5)
11
0.012
0.50
120
$17
Medium (
n
= 3)
18
0.009
0.61
319
$46
High (
n
= 5)
25
0.058
1.42
885
$127
Note:
Low: <R200 per bed, per night; medium: R200-500; high: >R500.
a Exchange rate was 0.14355 on 1 June 2000.
Source:
Adapted from Porter et al, 2003, p298
In the Eastern Cape of South Africa, a survey of 7 private game reserves (PGRs)
found that the number of employees increased by a factor of 3.5 when properties
converted their use to wildlife-based tourism (from 175 people to 623). The
average wage bill also increased by a factor of 20, from US$20,848 to $416,000
per year, increasing the average annual salary from $715 to $4064 (a 5.7-fold
increase). Employees also received additional benefits that were not normally
received by farm labourers, including accommodation, food and training, medical
insurance and pension contributions. Despite these benefits, anti-poaching units
still monitor the PGRs, with the form of poaching observed being mainly small
wire snares (Sims-Castley et al, 2005).
Madikwe is a state-owned game reserve located in the north-west province,
on the border with Botswana. The reserve was formed by the former
Bophuthatswana Parks in the 1990s (now the North-West Parks and Tourism
Board) by purchasing and consolidating farmlands, with the aim of stimulating
local employment. In 1999, there were an estimated 85 local people employed in
Madikwe, but unemployment in three local villages was very high, and ranged
from 58 to 86 per cent (Rutec, 1999, cited by Relly, 2004) (more information on
Madikwe can be found in Chapter 12 by Relly). In 2003 there were 12 commer-
cial and 12 corporate lodges in Madikwe, by which time 320 local people were
employed (an increase of 276 per cent) (Relly, 2004). Comparing data from Relly
(2004) and Porter et al (2003) it can be seen that the number of employees per
bed is much higher for luxury lodges (1.34-1.42 employees per bed) in South
Africa than it is for the budget lodges (0.48-0.61 employees per bed). Therefore
luxury products have the potential to generate more employment and salaries for
local people.
Impacts on poverty
Surprisingly few studies have extrapolated information on local salaries to estab-
lish the impact on poverty from tourism, but there are data available for Sabi Sabi,
a luxury private game reserve neighbouring Kruger National Park. The level of
local earnings from this tourism enterprise was estimated, and then related to the
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