Alfred Nzo District
ALFRED NZO DISTRICT
Local municipalites are: Umzimkulu and Umzimvubu. Main towns are: Umzimkulu, Mount Ayliff and Maluti.
The Alfred Nzo District lies in the north east of the province, bordering Lesotho and Kwazulu Natal. All its area once lay within the Transkei homeland. The land is above 1,000 metres. Rainfall is high, and it is cold in winter with possible snow. The main centre is Kokstad, which actually lies within KwaZulu-Natal. Alfred Nzo is the smallest district with an area of 7,952 square km.
Alfred Nzo has a relatively small population of 550 392 (2001 Census), but a relatively high population density of 72 people per square km despite its remote rural nature. Under apartheid, a large and growing population was restricted to the homelands. Africans make up more than 99% of the population, with few white and coloured inhabitants. Xhosa is the first language in most areas, but with significant use of Sesotho around Matatiele and Zulu around Umzimkulu.
Alfred Nzo has a small formal economy compared to the rest of the province with only 2% of provincial value added, although official statistics do not count the subsistence and informal economy. Agriculture is the principal private sector, providing 24% of value added and 12% of formal employment. Forestry is by far the greatest formal agricultural sector with extensive plantations in Umzimkulu and to a lesser extent around Maluti. Livestock farming includes cattle, sheep and goats. Much commercial farming is not registered in the statistics as it is often small scale and relies on farm gate sales. Subsistence farming is significant but must contend with heavy winter frosts and snows in much of the area. Manufacturing contributes 4% of value added and 6% of employment to the formal economy. It is dominated by the wood products industry, with a number of firms producing builders’ joinery and planks. Furniture manufacture is also present to a lesser extent.
Tourism is limited now, but the district has spectacular mountain scenery in the southern Drakensberg. A transfrontier park between South Africa and Lesotho is planned for the Maluti area of the southern Drakensberg, but will require greatly improved access roads. Cultural tourism has potential for development. Government services play a major role in the economy, providing 46% of value added and 50% of formal employment. Government is the major formal employer in the economy, reflecting an inherited bureaucracy from the former Transkei. Total employment in 2000 was estimated at 19,666, of which 15,515 was formal employment and 4,151 was informal (21% of total).
OPPORTUNITIES
Local municipalites are: Umzimkulu and Umzimvubu. Main towns are: Umzimkulu, Mount Ayliff and Maluti.
The Alfred Nzo District lies in the north east of the province, bordering Lesotho and Kwazulu Natal. All its area once lay within the Transkei homeland. The land is above 1,000 metres. Rainfall is high, and it is cold in winter with possible snow. The main centre is Kokstad, which actually lies within KwaZulu-Natal. Alfred Nzo is the smallest district with an area of 7,952 square km.
Alfred Nzo has a relatively small population of 550 392 (2001 Census), but a relatively high population density of 72 people per square km despite its remote rural nature. Under apartheid, a large and growing population was restricted to the homelands. Africans make up more than 99% of the population, with few white and coloured inhabitants. Xhosa is the first language in most areas, but with significant use of Sesotho around Matatiele and Zulu around Umzimkulu.
Alfred Nzo has a small formal economy compared to the rest of the province with only 2% of provincial value added, although official statistics do not count the subsistence and informal economy. Agriculture is the principal private sector, providing 24% of value added and 12% of formal employment. Forestry is by far the greatest formal agricultural sector with extensive plantations in Umzimkulu and to a lesser extent around Maluti. Livestock farming includes cattle, sheep and goats. Much commercial farming is not registered in the statistics as it is often small scale and relies on farm gate sales. Subsistence farming is significant but must contend with heavy winter frosts and snows in much of the area. Manufacturing contributes 4% of value added and 6% of employment to the formal economy. It is dominated by the wood products industry, with a number of firms producing builders’ joinery and planks. Furniture manufacture is also present to a lesser extent.
Tourism is limited now, but the district has spectacular mountain scenery in the southern Drakensberg. A transfrontier park between South Africa and Lesotho is planned for the Maluti area of the southern Drakensberg, but will require greatly improved access roads. Cultural tourism has potential for development. Government services play a major role in the economy, providing 46% of value added and 50% of formal employment. Government is the major formal employer in the economy, reflecting an inherited bureaucracy from the former Transkei. Total employment in 2000 was estimated at 19,666, of which 15,515 was formal employment and 4,151 was informal (21% of total).
OPPORTUNITIES
- Livestock: Cattle, sheep and goat farming has potential through improved marketing infrastructure, increased animal productivity and community partnerships.
- Crops: The district has many rivers but is constrained by winter frosts. Small-scale irrigation, including commercial schemes, is possible in the summer in many areas.
- Forestry plantations cover a significant portion of the district and can be increased in size. Rural incomes can increase from community forestry and wood products. Forestry has great potential.
- Food processing is limited but has longer-term potential linked to small-scale meat and dairy processing, and possibly linked to tourism.
- Wool processing can be started as a community industry, linked to craft products and woollen garments.
- Furniture has strong links to the local forestry and can develop with investment in small high-quality hand-crafted furniture. Larger industries are possible.
- Leather and Leather goods: Animal skins are exported from the district, but can be processed in small-scale tanneries linked to craft leather industries.
- Tourism is small but can develop in the southern Drakensberg, leveraged by the planned Maluti Trans-frontier Park. Road improvements will be vital.
- Roads: Better access roads are needed throughout the area for access to schools and clinics. Improved rural access roads will help to promote tourism close to the mountains and improve access to Lesotho
