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Study of the Social and Economic Impacts of Industrial Tree Plantations
in the KwaZulu - Natal Province of South Africa
By
John Blessing Karumbidza - December 2005
In the industrial
tree-growing sector the primary initiative has entailed two
particular strategies. One has been the establishment of out-grower
schemes promoted as social or corporate responsibility or as
employment creation schemes. The other has attempted to bring
on board a BEE (Black economic empowerment) component into the
existing asset structure of the major industrial tree-growing
companies. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that these
programmes have remained ‘green-washing’ projects
that have failed to ameliorate the ever-increasing list of negative
social, economic and environmental impacts of the industrial
timber plantation sector’s activities. This report outlines
these impacts by use of case study material and the voices of
the affected communities from selected areas in KwaZulu-Natal.
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Table of
Contents
Foreword
- Harald Witt
1. Introduction
2. An Overview of the Timber
Industry and its Associated Impacts
• Industrial Timber Plantations
• Employment Trends in the Industry
• Exaggerated Demand for Pulpwood
• Pulp and Paper Mills
• Pollution from plantations
• Pollution from pulp and paper mills
• Wood Chip Production and Exportation
• The Timber Industry and its Public Image
• Loss of land and ‘forced’ migrant labour regimes
• Agriculture and Food Self-sufficiency in Timber Plantation
Areas
• Poverty and Health Impacts
• Employment and Income
• Water Availability and Access Concerns
• Gender Issues
3. Research and Fieldwork Findings:
Case Studies
a. The SiyaQhubeka Consortium
b. Woodlots and Small Grower Issues
c. The case of the Mbuyazi/ Bhangazi People
d. The case of the Dukuduku People
e. The Sabokwe People
f. Slovoville
4. Conclusion
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