Development and pro-poor tourism: the livelihood strategies of Amazizi in northern Drakensberg, Kwazulu-Natal

English: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate and analyse the livelihood strategies of AmaZizi, and to identify the constraints preventing the initiatives of the people of AmaZizi --- which is adjacent to the Royal Natal National Park (RNNP) in the northern Drakensberg of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa --- from taking an active part as entrepreneurs in the local tourism economy and derive socioeconomic benefits from such participation. Using the sustainable livelihoods approach, this investigation was done by examining the capital assets people possessed that could help them become active participants as entrepreneurs in the local tourism economy instead of being limited to wage employment. In order to answer the research question, the following objectives were posited: o To analyse the livelihood strategies of AmaZizi o To contribute to the understanding of the sustainable livelihoods approach o To determine the extent to which AmaZizi participated in the local economy o To identify the constraints/barriers acting against local initiatives among the people of AmaZizi o To determine opportunities for integrating local communities into the first economy o To provide key information about the availability of resources which could be of benefit to in the area The sustainable livelihoods framework provided a tool to determine sustainability, not only of lives, but also of the production process in the study area. This framework enabled the research to be people-centered in that it enquired into the capital assets that could be used to escape poverty and unemployment. The framework proved a critical tool, because it queried the assets people possessed and the way in which they could use these assets to better themselves. Pro-poor tourism was considered, as the local people in the study area should have been able to benefit greatly from local tourism. This proved to be an elusive point, however, as many people depended on state social grants and remittances. Although handicrafts had served as a safety net,this had not really alleviated poverty. Wage employment could be obtained from time to time, but it was not sufficient; moreover, it was unsustainable as it had no long term benefits. Consequently, the poor became even more vulnerable in the long run, as the temporary jobs carried no pension benefits, for example. The research argues that pro-poor tourism as a strategy against poverty is unlikely to be of any consequence if not supported by relevant pro-poor policies. Without policies, pro-poor tourism will merely remain a poverty alleviation strategy; a mechanism to provide a safety net against poverty.