Botshabelo ruins results in tourism slump
The devastating effects following the closure of Botshabelo is being rippled through the community of Middelburg, and perhaps the most significant effect is that of tourists spending in town.
Established in 2000, the Little Elephant Ndlovu Encane Craft Market, next to Midway Inn Hotel, used to be a hustle and bustle of activity.
It was here that hundreds of tourists used to stop and immerse themselves in Ndebele culture, learn traditions and even applaud performances and dances held in the amphitheater – an impressive feature at Little Elephant.
Most importantly, local and foreign tourists used to support the businesses and leave with a lasting impression, and souvenirs, which almost ensured they would return.
But since the deterioration of the old Belfast road, coupled with the opening of ALZU Petroport where curio shops were also established, business at Little Elephant began to spiral downwards.
“Perhaps the heaviest blow was dealt when Botshabelo closed down. We used to receive many tourists on their way to Botshabelo, who wanted to purchase Ndebele products,” said Christine Twala. She has been at Little Elephant ever since it opened.
“We used to receive many people, now it’s dropped significantly. Now we mostly get only local tourists, people from Belfast, Hendrina, and Ermelo. Mostly from the eastern side of Middelburg. Tourists hardly ever come”.
The Little Elephant Ndlovu Encane is a market that consists of about 18 shops, all selling a variety of arts and crafts, clothing, decor and interior design accessories, wedding outfits, beadwork and even photography services.
A distinctive Ndebele house stands at the very end of the craft market, overlooking probably the most neglected and unused feature of them all: an amphitheater that can easily accommodate 200 people.
“We used to perform cultural dances and performances here for tourists. But that was when it used to be busy”, said Ms Twala.
“This place is still a one-stop rainbow nation experience which includes three cultural huts – Ndebele, Tsonga and Zulu.”
According to LED Manager at the Steve Tshwete Municipality, Michael Nkosi, Little Elephant Ndlovu Encane Arts & Crafts Market is a local job creation project where visitors watch local artists and crafters practise their work in a number of traditional huts.
“All crafts are locally produced and orders and postage gladly arranged. On offer they have African cultural fashion – a one-day sewing service, beadwork, basketwork, pottery, glasswork, original local paintings and drawings, leatherwork, clothing, framed artworks, hand spun wool, knitted and woven products, fabric painting, homemade soaps and paper and beaded blankets,” he said.
“There’s just too much on offer and we need to revive this project. Visitors to the market are almost never disappointed as there’s so much to see”.
Mr Nkosi said that the municipality has been supporting the market for a number of years.
“Earlier this year we took some of them to Durban to the Tourism Indaba, where they sold at least R20 000 of their products. This is the potential of Little Elephant and what others see. We need our local community to also recognise them and realise that they are right on our doorstep, and we should, therefore, support them”.
One of the biggest challenges of Little Elephant has been their marketing strategy, as many people, and intended target markets, just don’t know that they exist.
“Little Elephant will accept any assistance they can get, and we as a municipality appeal to the community to assist in any way in getting Little Elephant back to its glory days”.
