South Africa: Lubombo Project On Course, Says Regional Ministers

14 May 2002
BuaNews (Tshwane)
By Mantshele Wa Ga Tau

Pretoria — Regional ministers from Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa moved forward yesterday reaffirming their joint programme to create a vibrant tourism economy in a cross-border zone between Lubombo Mountains and the Indian Ocean.

Mozambique's minister of tourism, Fernando Sumbana Junior, announced after the Tourism Indaba 2002 in Durban yesterday, that the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative (SDI) had taken a number of steps along the road to economic growth and job creation in eastern Swaziland, southern Maputo province and northern KwaZulu-Natal.

'We have upgraded roads, built new border posts, rolled back malaria and created the protocols and co-operative agreements that will allow us to promote the beautiful wilderness areas we share as a world class tourism destination,' said Dr Sumbana Junior.

He added that there had been a 64 percent decrease in malaria cases in Swaziland, a 40 percent decrease in Mozambique and 76 percent decrease in South Africa 'because of a joint campaign by our health authorities to control this disease.' The three ministers met to assess progress with the Lubombo SDI since it was launched in May 1997 by former President Nelson Mandela, President Joaquim Chissano and His Majesty King Mswati III.

In his comments, Swaziland's minister of economic planning and development, Prince Guduza Dlamini, praised South Africa for mobilising a massive wave of investor interest in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.

He said this was a clear sign that areas of similar natural beauty in other parts of Lubombo SDI would attract similar support from the private sector.

'It is clear that there is huge potential to attract investment into this transfrontier tourism zone so that we can promote economic growth and job creation in all three countries,' he said.

Environmental affairs and tourism minister Vali Moosa pointed out that the SDI had encouraged cross border trade and tourism.

The three countries have upgraded border posts at Kosi Bay and also at Golela/Lavumisa. Work has begun to rehabilitate the old Mac Mac pass that links northern Maputaland to Swaziland through a scenic route across the Lubombo mountains.

Mr Moosa also announced that the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, a key component of the Lubombo SDI, had attracted a massive wave of investor interest in new game lodges and beach resorts along the Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile, the three ministers also announced that they were proceeding to set up joint commission to plan the transfrontier conservation programme.

This is aimed at linking the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, the Ndumo and Tembe Elephant Parks with the Maputo Elephant Park in Mozambique and the Lubombo Conservation in Swaziland.

Copyright © 2002 BuaNews. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 800 reports a day from more than 140 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.