The travelling of international and local tourists to the township tourism sites is encouraging, and it is what is needed, that was what the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Mr Supra Mahumapelo, told members of the Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism Experience at Mpophomeni Township in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) recently during the committee’s oversight visit programme in KZN.
Mr Mahumapelo said: “This is what we need, to have tour buses coming here bringing tourists, they have their lunch here, giving them a valuable experience of sharing our culture with them.” He said that is what township tourism is about, and he called for its replication in every township in the country.
Mr Mahumapelo said he was very happy to see the infrastructure of the Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism Experience well maintained and become an economic hub for the local community members who provide a variety of services.
Mr Frank Mchunu of the Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism Experience which is a community based tourism organisation, spoke passionately about the centre he said is the tourist hub in the township of Mpophomeni, KwaZulu-Natal. He shared the history of the area which, he said, was once rife with killings during apartheid with Members of the committee. In sharing the history, he spoke of the Wall of Reconciliation just further down in the township, where the names of 120 people who died in the fight against apartheid are inscribed on the wall.
“This is our history, during apartheid many people died and they must be remembered.” he said. With a huge smile on his face, Mr Mchunu welcomed members of the committee at the centre.
Mr Mchunu thought this centre would collapse without the necessary help from government as there is decline in the number of tourist visits. However, the visit of the committee to the centre has restored Mr Mchunu’s hope for the future of the centre.
As part of the “Triple RRR” approach of rebranding, repositioning and renewal of the economy through tourism, the committee is focusing on reviving existing tourist nodes in villages, townships and small towns (dorpies).
The township or cultural centres are meant to give the international or domestic tourists a taste of authentic African culture by sharing with them the local cuisine, drama, dance, poetry and accommodation in homes of the local people living in the townships.
Members of Zulu Mpophomeni Tourism Experience include a variety of female-owned and managed craft cooperatives, privately-owned B&B operators, youth, traditional leaders, story tellers, traditional healers, crafters, artists and guides.
The centre has won a number of awards and wants to be the best sustainable, independent community-owned tourism organisation in the country. It has provided opportunities for members of its community to become entrepreneurs in the tourism sector from tour operators/guides to B&B owners.
Sureshinee Govender
2 October 2019
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