Community-owned !Xaus lodge in KTP prospers

[Toko]

Here an article about !Xaus community lodge in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Community-owned lodge prospers

Community-owned lodge prospers

Since opening in 2007, !Xaus lodge has contributed more than R10 million to the community in the rural district of Gordonia.

The lodge is built on land owned by the KKhomani San and Mier communities as part of a land settlement agreement that was signed between the communities and the South African National Parks in 2002. Sophia Coetzee, acting head of community services at Mier municipality says, ‘this landmark agreement has allowed traditional communities to regain their dignity and ownership of the land of their ancestors. The Khomani San and Mier communities, in their traditional spirit of community sharing, are now again able to welcome visitors to their own land and to share with them the magic aura of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.’
!Xhaus Lodge is managed by Transfrontier Parks Destinations (TFPD), a group of social entrepreneurs that develop community-owned tourist facilities that benefit local communities. The four-star lodge offers tourists a chance to meet southern Africa’s ‘first people’, while providing income and employment benefits for the disadvantaged Khomani San and Mier communities. ‘The economic value of !Xaus lodge lies in ethical business principles that generate a steady and growing income for the community owners and the area,’ says chief executive officer of Transfrontier Parks Destinations, Glynn O’Leary.
‘The aim of the lodge is to generate income for them and to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in the region. The Khomani San and Mier communities are the owners of the lodge, all its furnishings, and the land.’
Many of the lodge’s employees are from the kKhomani San and Mier communities and are hired as hospitality staff, trackers and guides. Employees are employed on a permanent basis with remuneration packages that include salaries, accommodation, food, transport, pension, and death and disability benefits. O’Leary says that 92% of the staff at the lodge are members of the local community, and their income is critical to people who live in an area that has up to 90% unemployment.
As a community-owned asset, a percentage of monthly turnover is paid to the community owners. A craft village was also set up at the lodge so that crafters can make and sell crafts to tourists – the majority of which come from countries outside of South Africa. Crafters are given a daily stipend, a food allowance and transport so they can meet and interact with guests at the lodge.
The craft village also accommodates the nomadic nature of the Khomani San people. ‘Crafters work at the village on a twoweekly rotational basis. This rotation was requested by the community because the Khomani San do not like being confined to one place, but wish to move on regularly,’ says O’Leary.

Working together
The kKhomani San and Mier communities have received assistance from all three spheres of government. The national government helped the communities settle their land claims, provided funding and made arrangements for the building of the lodge. The Department of Environmental Affairs awarded the community R1.4 million to furnish the lodge. The Northern Cape provincial government has marketed the lodge at roadshows, encouraging tourists and tour operators to visit.
O’Leary says that the biggest challenge the community has is to find funding to address infrastructural shortcomings from when the lodge was built and to maintain the lodge. The Mier municipality has assisted here, providing the community with funding for maintenance and repairs. The municipality is represented on the lodge’s management board, and has recently negotiated a loan from the Gordonia municipality for funds to repair roofs. Coetzee adds, ‘The Mier [community’s] interest is managed by the Mier Local Municipality. Any eco-tourism funds generated from the area will attract a levy of at least 2,5% of turnover to be paid into a maintenance account for repairing any damage to the environment which may arise from the tourism operations in the respective areas. Funds generated from tourism must be used for training, community projects, environmental education and management of community parks.’
According to O’Leary, !Xaus lodge tries to spend most of its operational money in the Gordonia area. Lodge policy is that every possible item used at the lodge should be purchased from local businesses in the community.
In the past financial year the lodge spent more than R1 million in Askham and Upington, representing over 92% of the operational spend during the period.
Local economic development opportunities have been created through the lodge. A local artist, Themba Masala, has sold more than R50 000’s worth of goods through the lodge’s curio shop. Vezokuhle Sewing Co-operative, a local business in Upington, was contracted to create all of the bed covers and other customised items of the lodge. Firewood is purchased from the local community and the Kalahari Supermarket in Askham sells goods to the lodge on a weekly basis.
The kKhomani San and Mier communities receive regular updates from the Transfrontier Parks Destinations through meetings organised by community leaders. ‘There is an open flow of information between Transfrontier Parks Destinations and the community,’ says O’Leary. A ‘Gordonia Statement’ showing income and expenditure, community revenue and local expenditure is prepared monthly. Progress and challenges experienced by the lodge are discussed with members of the community.
‘!Xaus lodge is the only private concession in the Kgalagadi, and the only facility offering fully catered accommodation, which has opened up the area to international travellers who do not want to self-cater. This has increased the number of visitors to the area – visitors that have disposable income,’ says O’Leary

[iNdlovu]

http://www.xauslodge.co.za/

Who has been here?

[Lisbeth]

I wanted to stay there two years ago, but even with all the advantages taken into consideration, it was too expensive and we decided to stay at the wilderness camps in KTP, which were a very pleasant experience and had the advantage of the self-driving. To me that is extremely important, if not essential.

[iNdlovu]

Agreed Lis, especially in a place like KTP which is all about wilderness.