ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Environment and Tourism MEC Enoch Godongwana has announced that the Eastern Cape government has secured private sector investment of R120-million in three provincial nature reserves. The reserves, Mkambati, Silaka and Double Drift, represent “the single biggest investment in the Eastern Cape in many years,” he said in a statement. The companies that have been awarded the tenders would mostly be “developing world-class facilities aimed primarily at the upper end of the international market.” The Mkambati Nature Reserve – a Wilderness Safari/Mantis Collection joint venture partnership – has an investment value of about R73,5-million, for the development of two luxury five-star lodges. Mkambati is a 7 000 hectare reserve south-west of Flagstaff. Silaka Nature Reserve – World Enterprise Consortium – represents an investment value of about R20-million for the development of 50 double self-catering lodges for the local market. The awarding of this bid is still provisional as certain criteria still have to be finalised. Silaka Nature Reserve is a small reserve on the Wild Coast, south of Port St Johns. The investment involves the upgrading and renovation of the existing facility. The Double Drift – Akanic Leisure Investments (Pty) Ltd – investment totals about R25-million, for the development of two lodges with 40 beds. The reserve is in the 45 000ha Great Fish River complex. The Eastern Cape tourism board and department of Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism in partnership with local communities initially offered four select tourism development sites along the Wild Coast and Great Fish River Complex. The rationale for opening up these opportunities was that: The Eastern Cape achieved a tourism growth of about 12 per cent for 2002; The Wild Coast and Fish River complex represented some of the most spectacular unspoilt landscape in Southern Africa; The Eastern Cape has a diversity of tourism attractions, including ethnic, cultural, adventure and wildlife. The development opportunities would be joint venture partnerships between local communities and the developers. On April 10 the Eastern Cape tourism board facilitated a major tourism investment conference in East London hosted by Mr Godongwana and tourism board head Nomkhita Mona. More than 30 local and international tourism operators and corporations who were specifically interested in developing new tourism products along the Wild Coast and adjacent interior attended. Some 15 individual tender submissions were received.