Blacks and the coast: current demands and future aspirations for coastal recreation in the KwaZulu-Natal north coast
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Date
1995
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Abstract
The repeal of the Separate Amenities Act, accompanied by general rise in standard of living among Blacks, greater mobility of people, and the demand for outdoor recreation have brought about the renewed influx of Blacks to seaside or coastal recreation areas. It is, therefore, in this light that this research is undertaken.
The focus of the research is on both developed and undeveloped coastal resources whereby recreation needs and aspirations of Black recreators are identified with an aim of providing basic knowledge for future planning, management and development of coastal recreation resources.
The reseach problem is formulated within the framework of a demand-and-supply model. It involves the use of coastal recreation resources and facilities by Blacks in KwaZulu-Natal north-coastal region to satisfy their recreation needs. Answers are sought to the following questions:
How many people participate in coastal recreation areas and what kind of recreation areas are visited?
What is the nature of people who visit coastal locations on recreation trips?
What particular characteristics of trips are undertaken by Black recreators?
What distances are involved and what is the frequency and duration of visits relating to recreation areas?
What characteristic personal and social traits are associated with particular types of participants and non-participants in recreation?
Where are the most important recreation resources located and what facilities are offered there?
What potential does the region have for future development of recreation?
What is the likely role of the coast and seaside in future years?
The data was gathered by means of a questionnaire applied to 402 respondents of the Black household population in the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. Intuitive and discriminant analytical procedures were used to distinguish characteristics of the outdoor recreation resource potential. The analysis incorporates a variety of statistical and graphical techniques.
The most important findings of the enquiry are the following:
A relatively large percentage of Blacks (68%) do not visit the beach or sea.
Walking (35% of the respondents) is the main means of getting to the sea.
The majority of people (82%) show a tendency to dislike visiting undeveloped beaches.
Data reveals that swimming (48%) seems the most popular recreation activity as against sophisticated activities like boating, caravanning and fishing.
The most preferred accommodation by Blacks when undertaking recreation journeys is the hotel (63.7%) as against hutted camps (8.5%).
Richards Bay beach, locally known as Alkantstrand, is the most popular recreation area (41.2%) in the study area.
Recreation activities demanding no or less expensive equipment are mostly favoured by Blacks. These activities comprise inter alia swimming, relaxing and walking. On the other hand money-demanding recreation activities such as canoeing, sailing, row-boating, water-skiing and motor-boating, are shunned upon.
The final considerations or recommendations in the study are that the coastal recreation resource needs proper infrastructure to handle the imminent mass recreation or tourism; the natural recreation bases should be conserved or ecotourism should be practised; and the indigenous populace be included in the development, management and utilization of the coastal recreation resource.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of Zululand in partial fulfillment for the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Geography, 1995.
Keywords
Blacks--South Africa--Recreation, Recreation--Zululand (South Africa), Blacks--Recreation