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The community of the Storms River Village in the heart of the Garden Route has been dealt a major blow as one of the town's biggest employers will soon be forced to end operations after 15 years, leaving more than 90 families without income.
Rural-based eco adventure company Stormsriver Adventures and Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour - involved in fighting poverty and uplifting the community since it was established in 1998 - have been told by South African National Parks (SANParks) that their concessionaire contract would no longer be extended and that they would have to vacate the land by June 30. The property they operate on is state owned forest area.
Stormsriver Adventures, well-known for its treetop canopy tours and other adventure activities, have over the years created 43 direct and more than 50 indirect jobs, in a community plagued by poverty and unemployment. When the contract ends in just under three months, all these locals will be unemployed.
The company has also played a major role in establishing the region as the heart of adventure tourism.
Local tourism consultant Peter Myles said this was a massive loss for the region as it would be difficult to relocate the operations as the Tsitsikamma forest was ideal for adventure activities. "Also if you manage to find the perfect place, the local community still loses, as the company has done a lot in terms of job creation," said Myles.
Garden Route National Park general manager Jill Bunding Venter said Stormsriver Adventures' concessionaire contract had expired in 2010 already and had been extended annually while SANParks was in the process of registering the project with National Treasury in terms of section 16 of the Public Finance Management Act. This process has now been completed and means that SANParks can now manage the tender process.
"Stormsriver Adventures had been aware of and have consulted with extensively via this process," said Bunding Venter.
She added that the land would now go out on tender and was subject to a public participation process to comply with National Treasury regulations. "The tender will be advertised and anyone may apply."
Bunding Venter said it was in the interest of SANParks to continue to provide access to current and additional activities in the area.
This is a major blow for the community as the company has played a massive role in poverty alleviation, not only through creating jobs, but through various other charity projects.
Over the past decade Stormsriver Adventures has spent about R3-million on skills development in the eco adventure tourism industry. They also run a school feeding scheme through which they provide 220 junior school children with a meal four times a week.
Other community initiatives include clothing distribution, HIV/Aids awareness, small business development and development of local crafters and animal welfare. They also do their bit for the environment and run a recycling initiative.
They plough about 60% of their annual turnover back in the community and have received many accolades for their work including for responsible tourism.
Owner Ashley Wentworth said it was a very emotional week after informing his employees - who he describe as "family" - about the decision by SANParks. "Stormsriver Adventures and the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour are currently in discussions with SANParks regarding legal issues surrounding intellectual and property rights of the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour," said Wentworth.
He added Stormsriver Adventures had only been allowed to operate the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour on an annual license permit basis since (this part of the businesses) first opening in 2001. "This license has not been renewed by SANParks and the parties are in discussions around the basis for a formal tender process that will allow the operator a long-term operating permit for the business."
Myles added that he was shocked that Stormsriver Adventures had not been given the opportunity to continue operating until the tender process was completed. "It is going to be very difficult to find someone to offer these services from scratch. The product has evolved over the years and has become one of the number one tourism products in the area," said Myles.
