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19 March 2019 | Story Dr Cinde Greyling
Dr Mutana and Prof Mukwada
Many people enjoy spending time in the mountainous Drakensberg region. Prof Geofrey Mukwada’s involvement with the UFS Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) sparked an interest in sustainable tourism in the area. Pictured here are Dr Sarudzai Mutana with Prof Mukwada.

Not only is the Qwaqwa Campus situated in a beautiful region – its researchers also contribute to keeping the area pristine. Recent research by Prof Geofrey Mukwada and his PhD student, Dr Sarudzai Mutana, focused on indicators monitoring sustainable tourism development in the Drakensberg region.

Dr Mukwada is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography on the University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus. 

Our majestic mountains are fragile

Many people enjoy spending time in the mountainous Drakensberg region – either as adventure seekers exploring the many trails, or just relaxing and reconnecting with nature. Prof Mukwada’s involvement with the UFS Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) sparked an interest in sustainable tourism in the area. “Mountains are fragile but attractive environments which continue to attract tourists,” he said. “Tourism is one of the major business sectors in the Drakensberg region, with promising growth opportunities and proving to be an anchor of green economy in the future – if practiced correctly.” Unfortunately, the issue of monitoring sustainable tourism has not been widely researched in African mountains. 

According to international standards

“We specifically looked at the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC), which is an international best-practice framework to help destinations monitor and ensure that tourism is developed in a responsible manner,” Prof Mukwada explained. “South Africa’s Manual for Responsible Tourism was designed according to some of the recommendations of the GSTC. But we found that, while the tourism and hospitality operators in the Drakensberg region appreciates the need to monitor and ensure sustainable tourism in the area, there is limited use of indicators as a tool for monitoring.” 

Forward together

There are competing demands between land-use and development practices and alternatives in the region – unless the focus shifts to sustainable practices, the short-term gains could be followed by dire consequences. “We suggest an integrated monitoring of tourism development, with a pro-poor focus that involves more local community leaders. Going forward, we would like to see the industry adopt the indicators proposed in our study.”

News Archive

Kovsies / Pukke Intervarsity 2008: Results
2008-08-14

SPORTKODE SPANNE TEAMS   UITSLAE / RESULTS
      UV / UFS PUK
GHOLF / GOLF MANS / MEN   1 7
      * *
KARATE MANS / MEN   * *
  DAMES / LADIES   * *
TAFELTENNIS / TABLE TENNIS UV USSA TEAM PUK USSA TEAM 4 2
PLUIMBAL/ BADMINTON UV / UFS PUK 1 0
  UV / UFS PUK 0 1
VLUGBAL / VOLLEYBALL UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS 5 0
MUURBAL / SQUASH UV USSA TEAM PUK USSA TEAM 4 2
LANDLOOP / CROSS COUNTRY UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS * *
  UV VROUE / UFS WOMEN PUK VROUE * *
BASKETBAL / BASKETBALL UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS * *
SOKKER FOOTBALL UFS 1 MEN ALS PUK MEN 2 1
SOCCER UFS 2 MEN PUK 2 MEN 0 1
  UFS WOMEN PUK WOMEN 4 0
TENNIS UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS 4 11
  UV VROUE / UFS WOMEN PUK VROUE 14 1
HOKKIE HOCKEY ABSA KOVSIES WOMEN PUK WOMEN 0 8
HOCKEY ABSA UFS 2 WOMEN PUK 2 WOMEN 1 3
  SOETDORING VMN 1 2
  SONNEDOU WNB 2 1
  ROOSMARYN DINKI 2 1
  EMILY HOBHOUSE HEIDE 0 5
  ABSA KOVSIES MEN PUK MEN 0 3
  ARMENTUM VERITAS 2 1
  VERITAS EXCELSIOR 5 0
  KNIGHTS PATRIA (DAAG NIE OP) 1 0
NETBAL NETBALL SOETDORING DINKI 35 25
NETBALL WNB EIKENHOF 39 24
  MARJOLEIN MINJONET 14 20
  VMN 2 BELLATRIX 12 28
  VMN 1 WANDA 16 25
  ROOSMARYN VMN 22 35
  EMILY HOBHOUSE KARLIEN 11 26
  SOETDORING 2 WNB 17 23
RUGBY FNB SHIMLAS PUKKE 20 21
  IRAWAS IBBIES 12 18
  UV / UFS U/21 PUK O/21 30 13
  UV / UFS U/19 PUK O/19 24 11
  UV RITSIMS PUK 3 0 19
  ARMENTUM VERITAS 7 5
  VISHUIS WILGERS 22 31
  KAREE CAPUT 13 43
  JBM VILLAGERS 18 17
  LANDBOU INGENIEURS 33 10
  REITZ PATRIA 40 8
  VERITAS OVERS 3 38
INTERVARSITY OPSOMMING / SUMMARY 2008      
      KOVSIES PUKKE
         
WEDSTRYDE / GAMES     41 41
GEWEN / WON     0 0
VERLOOR / LOST     0 0
GELYK / DRAWN     0 0
         
INTERVARSITY OPSOMMING / SUMMARY 2007      
      KOVSIES PUKKE
         
WEDSTRYDE / GAMES     41 41
GEWEN / WON     13 27
VERLOOR / LOST     27 13
GELYK / DRAWN     1 1
INTERVARSITY OPSOMMING / SUMMARY 2006      
      KOVSIES PUKKE
WEDSTRYDE / GAMES     46 46
GEWEN / WON     27 16
VERLOOR / LOST     16 27
GELYK / DRAWN     3 3

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