SWC (Sustaining the Wild Coast) is an organisation that works with the Amadiba residents of the coastal villages of Eastern Mpondoland, on the South African Wild Coast, seeking to support their commitment to protecting their land, livelihoods and culture. SWC works to develop a vibrant sustainable local economy based on community-owned ecotourism and agriculture. The name for SWC in isiMpondo is Mazibuy’emasisweni! A simple translation of this name is ‘let us bring back our heritage!’.
SWC is firmly opposed to a massive titanium mining project that will destroy 22 kilometres of coastline which the Amadiba value for its natural resources and sense of place. It is a landscape upon which they depend for their well-being, through fishing, tourism and agriculture. Research has shown that the economic benefits and job creation potential of ecotourism would equal that of mining, over the proposed lifetime of the mine (22 years), without destroying the ecosystems and the social fabric of the Amadiba community.
They are also opposed to seismic exploration for offshore oil and gas by Shell. They believe that the best way to enable a vibrant local economy is to improve the existing road network and enable small, locally designed, owned and managed projects aligned with the culture and rural nature of their area. Such projects would empower and benefit local people rather than enrich large construction and mining corporations. The struggle of the Amadiba people is emblematic of the struggle of indigenous communities worldwide against the life-destroying impacts of imposed, unsustainable, so-called ‘development’ projects that do not respect the needs of local people or the integrity of Earth’s ecosystems.
Indigenous communities living on communally owned land occupy only 20% of the planet and are protecting 80% of the earth’s remaining biodiversity, which is critical to the health of the planet on which we all depend.
Visit https://swc.org.za/ or https://www.facebook.com/share/19G2FwiAKS/?mibextid=wwXIfr for more information.
