J ohn Hatton, an academic and independent consultant from Maputo, says the Mozambique state is too weak to enforce the social responsibility clauses in Blanchard's contract. And local government is factionalised between a Frelimo administrator, a Renamo administrator, and the traditional chiefs. So far the only impact of Blanchard's scheme on the livelihoods of Zitundo's people has been the cancellation of a commercial pine project that, although it would have devastated the fragile ecosystems around Zitundo, had created 250 full-time jobs. Blanchard insisted that Mozaflorestal, a joint venture between Sappi and a Mozambican company to grow water-sapping bluegums along the southern coastal zone of Mozambique, be evicted and the company's contract cancelled as a precondition for his tourism plan being implemented. Up to now we haven't been properly informed.
People are afraid.
They don't like the idea of being surrounded by wild animals. And they fear they will lose their land. Gouws explains that BME is working with Helvetus, a Swiss non-government organisation operating in Mozambique, to host a series of workshops to explain the tourism project. Community leaders will be offered field trips to tourism projects in South Africa that have galvanised rural development. Maybe the poor people will then be able to see how they will be affected.