Investigating small-scale commercial afforestation in quaternary catchment W70A area, Manguzi, KwaZulu-Natal: livelihoods, policy and conflict
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Date
2020
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Abstract
The study investigates the nature and dynamic of the conflict over small-scale commercial afforestation for livelihood sustainability between the local communities of Manguzi and the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation (DWS). The source of the conflict is the divergent priorities of the two parties involved. The rural communities practice small-scale commercial afforestation to earn and achieve sustainable livelihood, on the other hand the DWS perceives such practice as illegal because of the legislation such as Water Use License Application (WULA) which were not followed by these farmers. The study used mixed methods to get to the deepest understanding of the conflict. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with the DWS` official and with the rural communities. The study also used statistical data from the DWS to draw a correlation graph in order to understand the impact of this afforestation on water resources in Manguzi.
The study found that small-scale commercial afforestation in Manguzi is the main economic activity and some farmers have been involved in it for more than 20 years. This afforestation has physically contributed to the rural livelihoods through improved housing quality in this settlement area. It has also contributed socially through the improved state of health and a variety of skills gained. Lastly it continues to improve their socio-economic life through creating job opportunities, and the establishment of other businesses which serve as income diversification to the rural communities as per the Sustainable Rural Livelihood Framework which was employed as the theoretical framework guiding the study.
The DWS has an enforcement tool to deal with any non-compliance and illegal practices in South Africa. The DWS has proposed to use this enforcement tool to control this increasing development of afforestation. The enforcement tool will force rural people to refrain from these plantations and the existing plantations will be removed. This is the cause of the conflict because the DWS as the custodian of the country`s water resource, has a mandate to control any water-related activities, but this is the only economic activity that has proven to be successful in Manguzi. This has caused the rural communities to be highly dissatisfied with the governance of forestry in Manguzi.
Description
A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Science in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, at the University of Zululand, 2020.
Keywords
Small-scale commercial afforestation, Rural livelihood, Conflict, Legislation