Clara Mojaki runs the Simclar Palms Plot 320 in Meiringspark, Klerksdorp, North West, whose tourism sector has been identified as a potential remedy to the province’s declining economic fortunes.
“I have a hiking trail where companies can come for team-building exercises. We organise camps for schools and churches,” Mojaki told Sunday World.
“I now have a big venue and host big events around here; It evolved gradually, and I built it with the money I earned from the business. It’s important to know your ‘why’ because it will keep you afloat in the storm.”
Statistics SA’s most recent quarterly labour survey revealed that North West has the highest unemployment rate in the country, which is even higher among young people. The figures indicated the province’s standard of living, with an unemployment rate of 54%.
South African Airways chief executive officer John Lamola said North West citizens must start looking at the tourism sector as low-hanging fruit.
“Tourism is about people turning their homes into BnBs, the heritage, the history of this -province and inviting people to come and see and hear about the history of Batswana and the history of Afrikaners in this province as part of our heritage,” he said.
Lamola was speaking at the launch of the Economic and Investment Advisory Council, established by North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi.
“Our people need to change their mindset where people think that the government must provide jobs. People must create their own jobs. You don’t need finance; a woman can start by offering laundry services from her neighbours.
“I believe a change of mentality is what is needed. We must not reach a stage where our people are just totally despondent,” said Mokgosi.
Unlike Mojaki, Tsholofelo Lebone had to start her mobile day spa Botshe in 2020, shortly after the outbreak of Covid-19.
“I was unemployed at the time and had just finished my practicals in massage therapy,” she said. Her company offers mobile massage services to hotels, guest houses, offices, and homes.
“The effects of unemployment in leisure tourism are that we receive fewer visitors to our establishment. We also serve a decreasing number of spa visitors, which has an impact on the business and employment stability,” she said.
Lamola noted that there needs to be a shift in mindset.
“The Chinese have dug deep into their cultural heritage and resources and defended their culture, they took value out of their culture and weaponised it as an instrument of economic development,” he said.
Professor Raymond Parsons an economist at the North West University said the province has three main pillars on which employment and growth have to be built.
“We have agriculture, mining, and tourism. If you look in particular at tourism, it’s very labour intensive, which is a good thing whereas the other two are less employment intensive but all three need to work together, and what we need to do as a council is to advise the provincial government on how they can unlock more opportunities in the field of agriculture, mining and the field of tourism,” he said.
Parsons believes the important message that’s got to come out of the newly appointed council is to throw their weight behind what they have decided to do.
Mokgosi said the province has opportunities to revive and harness the diverse offerings of the tourism industry, which he says could leverage an annual growth rate of 5% by 2030 with a potential investment value of R39-billion where over 100 000 jobs could be created.
