Political Ecology of Development In South Africa’s Wild Coast: Exploring Stakeholder Arguments for and Against Possible Development Strategies

Characterized by scenic beauty and biodiversity, yet impoverished peoples, the Wild Coast of South Africa lies at a development crossroads, whereby various land-use proposals offer different outcomes. This thesis sought to analyze various stakeholder arguments in support of development strategies, especially involving the local people and environment. Based on a document analysis and interviews, the predominant development strategies supported were small community development initiatives (SCDIs) and tourism, supported by NGOs, and mining, supported by the private sector yet opposed by NGOs. A major finding was that while government outlines many development “objectives”, successful results are negligible, suggesting that this sector is an overall ineffective determinant for Wild Coast development. NGO and private sectors provided valid arguments in support of their strategies, leaving the researcher to conclude that means of collaboration should be determined in order to best develop the Wild Coast (via SCDIs, tourism, and mining) and improve local livelihoods.MAS