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From left to right: VDM's executive mayor, Dowelani Nenguda, Deputy Minister of Envirionmental Affairs, Foresty and Fisheries Maggie Sotyu and Makhadzi Nyambeni Munyai at the official opening of the Awelani Eco-Tourism Lodge in Ha-Mutele.

Awelani Eco-tourism Lodge finally opens

 

The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries (DEAFF), Ms Maggie Sotyu, applauded the communities of Ha-Mutele, Bileni and Tshikuyu in Masisi near the Pafuri gate of the Kruger National Park (KNP) for taking the initiative to improve their own circumstances.

“We want other communities to learn from them that they can start up their own community projects that can help create jobs, and government could fund them further. It is not good that communities blame the government for not providing them with jobs, whereas they can create jobs themselves,” said Sotyu.

She was speaking on Friday, 13 November, during the official opening of the Awelani Eco-Tourism Lodge in Ha-Mutele. The luxury lodge was an initiative of the Ha-Mutele community.

In total, 1 800 hectares of land was made available for conservation- and tourism-associated projects to address the high unemployment rate among the local community. The area has high tourism potential, taking its close proximity to the KNP into consideration. This was the main reason that the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) funded the project in 2005.

Situated approximately 11 kilometres west of the KNP’s Pafuri gate, the lodge has the capacity to accommodate 54 overnight guests in game-reserve style and has a 150-seater conference centre.

“To date, a total number of 23 people from the Mutele community are permanently employed here, with additional casual staff appointed on a contractual basis. Local contractors are used for services such as repair and maintenance, plumbing, as well as for cultural activities such as performing traditional dances and preparing traditional foods for international tourists visiting the lodge,” Sotyu said.

The DEAFF injected a further R10 million during this opening event, meaning that the government has invested more than R47 million in the development and upkeep of the lodge.

The executive mayor of the VDM, Cllr Dowelani Nenguda, said that, for the official opening of the lodge, the district had donated three motor vehicles and a tractor, which would contribute to improving their business.

The chairperson of the Awelani Eco-Tourism Lodge, Mr Albert Ramufhi, said they sincerely appreciated the government’s involvement and for injecting more funds into the business, which would certainly help with the re-stocking of game, such as impala and kudu, from the KNP. He said that, through government funding, they wanted to promote their communities in the villages with small projects, such as bricklaying and poultry and goat farming, to help fight unemployment.

 

 

Date:27 November 2020

By: Silas Nduvheni

Read: 525

 

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