In 1991, the then Bophuthatswana Parks Board launched the Madikwe project by commandeering a few army planes to fly a pack of journalists up to a farmhouse in Herman Charles Bosman country. They were treated to a lavish feast and spun a seductive tale about the birth of a brand new game reserve.
After lunch the journalists went on a ‘game drive” past derelict farmhouses, groaning windmills and dry, over-grazed veld. Madikwe was truly launched on a wing, a prayer and some nifty economics research.
The research took the form of a feasibility study. Commissioned in 1991, it showed that, once fully established, the Madikwe reserve could generate more than 1 200 jobs — compared to 80 jobs from cattle ranching – with an associated payroll of about US$1,5-million a year.
Secondly, the spin-off effects of Madikwe on the local economy, through linkages and multipliers, would be much higher than that provided by cattle ranching. Thirdly, the local economy, which at the time was highly dependent on agriculture, would be significantly diversified and improved.
14 years later
I recently visited Madikwe again, this time just before the opening of the 29th tourist camp, the CCAfrica Madikwe Safari Lodge.
This company managed Tau Lodge in Madikwe some years ago but left because Tau was not aligned with its other products. ‘We’ve come back to Madikwe because it offers a malaria-free Big Five experience imbued with history. Mzilikazi, David Livingstone, Sir Cornwallis Harris and Herman Charles Bosman all left their mark here. We see so much potential here,” said CCAfrica director and Bosman fan, Nicky Fitzgerald.
The 60 000ha Madikwe Game Reserve is situated in North West province, adjacent to the Botswana border, in a transition zone between Kalahari thornveld and bushveld. I noticed that over the past decade the natural bush had returned – the grass was tall, the trees plentiful and a belligerent elephant blocked the road to the safari lodge.
‘Madikwe’s progress has been astounding. When I arrived six and a half years ago there were only three lodges, now there are 29,” said the park’s current manager, Peter Leitner. ‘Madikwe is covering its own costs, a remarkable feat for a state reserve. There are even sufficient funds to support community projects.”
Signs of success
How viable has Madikwe been so far? In 1995, it was estimated that the annual operating costs of the park would be about R7,8-million. These are actually only R6,5-million, due to judicious budgeting by the North West Parks and Tourism Board.
It was predicted that by 2002 almost 600 beds would be developed in Madikwe but, because of land claims and other challenges, the actual number of operational beds is just 240.
Although entrance fees only accounted for about R357 000 in 2002, rather than the hoped-for R1,5-million, income from game sales has exceeded the predicted target. Instead of an estimated R1,3-million, game income was in fact R7,8-million because of high game numbers sold and escalating prices.
The hunting of a few high-value animals made a significant contribution to revenues. In 2002 almost 1 100 animals were removed; of these, less than 10% were hunted, but they generated almost 25% of the game revenue.
Total income for 2002 was R9,3-million. This meant that the reserve covered running costs and there was money left over for community development.
‘Our biggest success has been community involvement in the park, notably through the section 21 company that manages the park,” said Leitner. ‘Certain communities have the authority to develop their own lodges, which they are doing with a combination of government grants and private money.”
The Lekgopung community lodge, called Buffalo Ridge, opened recently and the Molatedi community lodge follows soon. Another two community lodges are on the cards.
A major challenge, successfully overcome, has been the settlement of the Baphalane community land claim, Leitner added. ‘The park has retained the land and the community was given alternative state land for agricultural purposes. The community also retains title to a small portion of land inside the reserve on which it may develop a lodge.”
A complex land claim has been lodged by the Barakologadi people. It could involve up to a third of the park and is complicated by the fact that the people have lost the rights to seasonal grazing and land use, rather than settlements. But, Leitner was upbeat about the prospect of a win-win solution.
‘The government does not wish to break up this hugely successful park or undermine its role as an economic hub in an otherwise economically depressed area,” he said. ‘I envisage an offer of alternative state land to the community, and the right to operate a lodge within the park .”
Operation Jobs
Madikwe has so far delivered 340 jobs in lodges, 75 in the park and an additional 50 in fence patrol, firewood collection and gate security. Further lodge jobs will come on stream: for example, once Madikwe Safari Lodge is complete, it will employ 70 people.
Funding has further boosted employment: a R16-million poverty relief grant employed 200 people over five years. The British government donated over R5-million for community capacity building and training, notably a successful internship programme which provided locals with hands-on training in the lodges.
Members of the Section 21 Madikwe Game Reserve Development Trust are from provincial government structures, business and local communities. The chief executive officer of the North West Parks and Tourism Board chairs the company, to ensure that conservation guides decisions. The company was formed in 1998 and creates a channel for 10% of reserve income to fund community development projects.
The provincial board has been sincere in its attempts to involve and benefit local communities, and has learnt many lessons along the way. In 1993 community development organisations were established to administer benefits derived from Madikwe, but complex politics and intra-village tensions were not recognised and undermined the effectiveness of the scheme. Park initiatives were often viewed with suspicion.
The key to unravelling the problem lay in recognising that there were diverse interest groups involved. A new steering committee was created, chaired by the board, and a bottom-up planning process began with villagers. Stable, broad-based structures that respected tribal and local government structures were constituted to represent villages on the steering committee.
Operation Phoenix
Community benefits would not be possible without a functioning game reserve. Even before Madikwe was officially proclaimed, work had begun to clear derelict farm buildings and structures, hundreds of kilometres of old fencing and many alien plants.
The game reintroduction programme, named Operation Phoenix, was one of the largest transfers of game ever to have taken place in the world. It was an ongoing operation over seven years, with animals coming from various reserves and breeding centres in Southern Africa.
The bulk of the herbivores was introduced in the first two years. Once the main herbivores were established, the more specialised and valuable species, such as lions and black rhinos, were introduced. In total 8 200 animals from 27 species, almost all the large mammals that were historically indigenous to the area, were brought into Madikwe. These included elephant, buffalo, cheetah, wild dog, hyena, black rhino and sable antelope.
The territorial roaring of lions is now a feature of the Madikwe night, as are hyena whoops. The first predators reintroduced were eight spotted hyenas from Namibia. A predator monitoring project was set up to safeguard villages and cattle farms bordering the reserve.
By 1996, excess white rhinos were being sold off. The black rhino introductions have shown that free release into the veld is best, and ideally all rhinos must be reintroduced at the same time to avoid territory skirmishes. The black rhinos in Madikwe now form a key population, as ranked by IUCN-The World Conservation Union.
The disease-free buffalos have increased in number and value. An investment in 1993 of just under R1,5-million is now worth R25-million, a return of more than 35% per annum.
In 2000, the first elephants were translocated from Madikwe to other game reserves in South Africa. Six- teen elephants were donated to Quissama park in Angola. Elephant management is complicated by the moratorium on culling in South Africa. ‘We have 500 elephants at present, double the number we need,” said Leitner.
It is apparent that Madikwe is too small to support genetically viable populations of many species, so both private and communal land will be incorporated into the reserve. To date, more than 8 000ha has been prepared for incorporation.
A vision to form a corridor between Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe, as well as to the Waterberg and even Botswana, is becoming a reality. This would create a 300 000ha park and bring many more lodges on stream.
‘We are hugely excited about the heritage park,” says Madikwe lodge manager, Shaun Strydom. One of the great travelling nations of the world agree with him: a recent Japanese government study identified five key sites including Sun City, Pilanesberg and Madikwe as ‘areas with the most tourism potential”.