somkhanda community development
TRANSCRIPT
Somkhanda Community Development Universities of California & Durban University of Technology
Goal
Assess how Somkhanda Game Reserve affects the employees, their households, as well as the
surrounding communities economically, socially, and
educationally.
Method
Surveyed and interviewed 38 employees of Somkhanda Game
Reserve and 49 randomly selected community members from
Cottlands, Hlambinyathi, Candover, Zonyama, and Sovane
Process
Data gathered on:Demographic characteristics and
household size Employment historyEducational opportunities General understanding of
conservation activities and impacts of the reserve
Male49%
Female51%
Employee Household Adults
Male46%Female
54%
Non-Employee Household Adults
Under 18
46%Age 18-
5949%
Age 60+6%
Non-Employee Households
Age Composition
Under 18
42%Age 18-59
55%
Age 60+4%
Employee Households
Age Composition
Personal Income Employees stated that their expenses exceed their salary,
creating difficulties saving money Purchasing food was the primary use of salary
Employees and Non-Employees grow food and have livestock – very dependent on time of year and water availability
Other than income from Somkhanda, sources of income are limited Vast majority have no other sources of income Examples of other income: crafters, street vendors, traditional
healers Combined income often does not meet the needs of
household
Only 1 Em-
ployed44%
More than 1 Em-
ployed56%
Employee House-holds
Adult Employment
0 Em-
ployed
33%
Only 1 Employed
47%
More than 1 em-
ployed
20%
Non-Employee Households
Adult Employment
Pensi
ons P
er Hou
sehold
Child G
rants
Per H
ouseh
old0.00.51.01.52.02.53.0
0.6
2.5
Non-Employee Households
Pensi
ons P
er Hou
sehold
Child G
rants
Per H
ouseh
old0.00.51.01.52.02.53.0
0.4
2.2
Employee Households
Education
Primary school is typically easily accessed but lack of finances and transportation make attending high school difficult Many students drop out which affects future
employment opportunities Other reasons for lack of education include: death
of parents, lack of finances, low priority in homes, pregnancy
Not many opportunities for training Opportunities available are limited to those who have
completed Grade 12
Less than
8 years35%
8 to 11 years31%
12 or more34%
Non-Employee Households
Adult Educational Attainment
Less than
8 years38%
8 to 11 years29%
12 or more34%
Employee Households
Adult Educational Attainment
Views on Conservation
Responses about the use of land were mixed, regardless of employment status some believed a game reserve was the best
use of the land others thought part of the land could be used
for agriculture or grazing livestock
Somkhanda’s Impact on Local Communities
A majority of interviewees felt that only employees benefited from the reserve
Non-employees were unclear about the purpose and functions of the reserve.
Expressed lack of communication widely felt on many levels Some community members felt their concerns weren’t
being heard Desires for greater and better distributed job
opportunities, infrastructure improvements, and support for school children
Employee Concerns
Inadequate housingLack of proper equipment and personnel for
efficient securityPromises of training and certification not metUncertainty about extent of employment contractsLack of knowledge and instruction about
conservation Inability to afford necessities and difficulty saving
Recommendations to Improve Staff Relations
Greater communication and participation with all staff
Greater accountability for the recommendations employees have to the management
Create more realistic expectations clearly i.e. staff receiving certifications
Create a more structured work environment Improvements to salary and job safety
Recommendations to Improve Community
RelationsCreate community spaces and/or meetings to
improve communications and encourage engagement with the entire community
Revisit hiring practices and make them more readily available to the community when jobs are available
Create more clear expectations about game reserve ownership
Products (i.e. meat) from the reserve should be more available to the wider community
Comments or Questions??