Kalahari nomads negotiate management of returned lands
Copyright 2000 afrol.com
December 23, 2000
By Christine Riley, WWF-South Africa
afrol.com, 23 December - The Khomani San and Mier communities in the Kalahari have had their land returned. But, how best to make use of it? WWF-South Africa, through its Green Trust project, stepped in and funded facilitators to make sure both communities were aware of all the options.
The Khomani San were historically a nomadic community with a strong culture and sense of tradition. They were also a wealthy community, in terms of being free to follow the rains to where food and water was sufficient. Then the land through which they roamed was proclaimed part of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (KGNP), they were cut off from the area and found themselves having to survive within a cash economy in a sedentary lifestyle. From being self-sufficient they became poor, and with poverty came cultural breakdown and, of course, a tremendous drop in their quality of life.
Another community, the Mier, was also dispossessed of the area they inhabited when the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park was proclaimed. Now, less than a quarter of the community is employed, their settlements have no electricity and water and very few are literate.
Then, with democracy, came the possibility of compensation. Both communities submitted land claims and in March 1999, President Mbeki announced a Land Claim Settlement Agreement. The San, the Mier Local Council and the South African National Parks (SANP) agreed to jointly pursue the proclamation of a Contract National Park on 50,000 hectares of land falling within the boundaries of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (25,000 hectares to each community) as well as land restored to the communities adjacent to the Park.
So far so good. But how to ensure that the best possible use is made of this land in order for the communities to benefit now and in the long term? Confusion and dissent was inevitable and it became clear that mediation and guidance was necessary. In 1999 The Green Trust (a joint venture between WWF-South Africa and Nedbank) stepped in to fund David Grossman and Phillipa Holden to facilitate informed decision-making among the three parties, most particularly, between the San and Mier.
This is not an easy task as decisions made must be fair and acceptable to all and there is bound to be conflict. There has been a severe split in the communities as to how the land in question should be used. So, to begin with, David and Phillipa set about making all the options clear. Firstly, the only preconditions that exist in this Contract Park are that there may be no mining, no agriculture and no use of the land for residential purposes. However, the use of the land as a Contract Park could open significant economic opportunities to the San and Mier through the development of tourism.
What are the options? The San could sell the land to the Mier or the SANP. Or, to guarantee income but avoid future use of the land being lost, it could be leased. Another possibility is the establishment of an upmarket tourist lodge. The San and Mier would be shareholders in the lodge and could play an increasingly significant role as capacity increases. (With the merging of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Botswana's Gemsbok National Park into one ecological, jointly managed unit - the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - the tourism status of the park has been greatly enhanced.)
Prestige hunting run by professional hunters would also generate income which could be used as capital to set up the upmarket tourism venue. Finally, the San could buy the 25,000 hectares of land allocated to the Mier, on which they can operate tourism and/or hunting ventures.
Negotiations are ongoing. Thanks to The Green Trust funding, the parties involved have the technical support necessary to make informed decisions regarding their future. If the final agreement accommodates both the rights and interests of the communities and conservation needs, then this Contract Park could serve as a model for other potential WWF 'People and Parks' initiatives in the sub-continent. A challenge, indeed!