Wild Coast rallies to protect tourists after attack near Coffee Bay
As the Easter weekend approaches on Friday, Wild Coast communities have rallied to protect visitors to the area and offer them a safe and beautiful break from city life.
This follows an attack on group of East London holidaymakers, who were ambushed and shot at near Coffee Bay at the weekend.
Yesterday, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) CEO Vuyani Dayimani said the wellbeing of tourists and the integrity of the area’s tourism destinations were of paramount importance.
There were a number of joint initiatives with police, local municipalities and other stakeholders to improve the safety of tourists, including a Tourism Buddies programme to keep visitors informed about attractions available, assist with tourism queries and provide up-to-the-minute information about areas to avoid.
Community and sector awareness campaigns regarding economic benefits of tourism and the importance of creating a safe environment for visitors were also being undertaken.
“These campaigns are crucial for fostering a culture of vigilance and co-operation in safeguarding tourists,” Dayimani said.
Most municipalities employed trained lifeguards on their beaches to watch over the safety of tourists engaging in coastal activities, he added.
Yesterday, The Herald’s sister paper Daily Dispatch reported that a group of holidaymakers — three married couples, five children and two women — were attacked while crossing the Mdumbi River near Coffee Bay shortly after 4pm on Saturday.
They were driving back from Lwandile Beach in Ngqeleni towards their booked cottage at Mthatha River Mouth.
Johann Stadler, founder of Mdumbi Backpackers, said: “An incident of this nature — and thank goodness there were no injuries — has a devastating impact on our revenue and, more to the point, on the livelihoods of over 100 people who make a living selling locally made trinkets.
“In a poor week some people might sell only one item — or worse, nothing at all.
“It is sad to link hunger to such a callous attack but that is the reality.
“I’m not sure these criminals realise this.”
Stadler said it was difficult to put a rand value to the impact of such an event on his venue over the season, but a simple bite out of Mdumbi’s revenue was only the start.
“The impact of an attack like this reverberates along the coast, and every venue is likely to feel some pain.”
He said Mdumbi Backpackers was typical of many small accommodation outfits along the Wild Coast — a community-driven incentive striving to promote involvement in sustainable eco-tourism at family and village level.
“Our staff own 55% of the shares. We also support our colleagues in setting up their own tourism-linked personal businesses to generate extra income to tide them over in quiet periods, from Mama Nowethu’s bread to Mama Nosekile’s laundry service.”
The Wild Coast is a 250km strip of rugged and relatively unspoilt land stretching from the Great Kei River, east of East London to the Umtamvuna River, which marks the border between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Mdumbi has gained international recognition through environmental tourism awards, including a World Responsible Tourism award and a silver for poverty reduction.
The venue helped establishing TransCape, a local nonprofit tackling education, health and other socioeconomic challenges in the community.
Stadler said the attack would not be allowed to derail their ongoing drive to improve the area.
“The government has done a lot for the villages around Mdumbi, and for the whole of the Wild Coast.
“What we need now, as a matter of urgency, is a series of satellite police stations along the coast. Another urgent need is improved road access to the venues.
“We cannot allow crime to curtail this development.”
Eastern Cape provincial police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu this week confirmed police in Ngqeleni were investigating the incident at Mdumbi.
She said there had been sporadic incidents of vehicle hijackings in the area but not at the spot where Saturday’s attack occurred.
King Sabata Dalindyebo municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said tourism was the lifeblood of areas like Coffee Bay and Hole-in-theWall, a top destination in the province for visitors.
“We urge people in those areas to take care of tourists, who bring in money that helps change lives.”
‘The impact of an attack like this reverberates along the coast, and every venue is likely to feel some pain’