Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:12


The Warrior Walk is a coastal hike steeped in cultural experiences. Hikers get to enjoy luxury tented camps and ecotourism activities including kayaking, forest walks, and birding while enjoying KwaZulu-Natal’s rich biodiversity, fauna and flora.

A national priority is the creation of meaningful and sustainable jobs. The iLembe District is an area poised for exponential growth but is caught in the current reality of high unemployment levels with a low skills base.

This means that even when major developmental projects start, it is unlikely that local labour will benefit from these economic injections. Major developments in the district are examples of where labour has been brought in from elsewhere and there has been little or no community upliftment through skills development or access to job opportunities. The outcome of this is continued unemployment resulting in angry, resentful and impoverished locals.

To this end, it is critical that the time between the current situation and meaningful economic investment in the area be effectively utilised in lower level, intermediary projects aimed at skills development and the creation of entry level jobs.

The project aims to provide an affordable option that will address the unemployment and skills development gap and that will have a sustained positive direct impact on deprived communities through:

the creation of jobs
the stimulation of economic development
empowering the youth in the communities
exploiting tourism opportunities

The experience

The iLembe Warrior Walk will be an escorted hike beginning at the Amatikulu Nature Reserve. The hike will follow the coastline stopping over at community-owned luxury tented camps and ending with an extravagant hotel experience in Ballito. Along the coastline walk, hikers will be able to enjoy:

kayaking down the Amatikulu estuary
an indigenous forest trail, treasured biodiversity areas and grasslands
Zulu and Indian cultural experiences (traditional games, food and arts and crafts)

Job creation

This proposed development will result in a number of direct and indirect opportunities for involvement.

Direct

Construction of eco-friendly tented camps (construction â€" builders, electricians, plumbers etc)
Local tour operators and guides (local history and heritage, fauna & flora, birding, animals, river and sea)
Full staffing requirements at tented camps (accommodation, reception, food supply, security and general labour)
Entertainment (story-telling, singing, dancing and traditional Zulu games)
Porterage over rivers and tributaries and security along the route
Management of business entities â€" general and financial management

Indirect

Sales of local arts and crafts
Personal insurance and medical support services
General increase in current tourism infrastructure
Encouraging investment in other related projects including but not limited to the King Shaka Heritage route, other cultural trails and related activities
General increase in economic activities in the area

The project is an initiative of Ubuhle Belembe Tours and is supported by the CSI division of African Bank on a mentorship basis. Enterprise iLembe's role is to source the funding and investment for the project.

For more information about this opportunity, contact:
Cheryl Peters, Manager: Marketing & Communications
Tel: +27 32 946 1256
Fax: +27 32 946 351