Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

206 The Pterocarpus angolensis DC. based woodcraft industry in the Bushbuckridge district

Infrastructure and services are poor, although water, electricity supply and

road infrastructure have improved since the political transition in 1994. There

are approximately 125 km of tarred roads within the study area, along with

several hundred kilometres of good quality gravel roads. Bulk water supplies

are available to most villages, but few households have private connections.

National grid electricity is available to villages and peri-urban ‘townships’,

serving approximately half the population.

Bushbuckridge was (and to some extent still is) a disputed area in terms of

provincial boundaries, causing political problems and a lack of government

commitment to the district. The uncontrolled pillage of P. angolensis from

Bushbuckridge Nature Reserve has been but one of the repercussions following

confusion regarding the division of responsibilities between provincial

authorities. The wider region is an important tourist destination because of

its proximity to KNP, numerous private game farms, and the scenic areas and

towns of the Drakensberg mountain range. This has been a crucial factor in

the development of the carving industry and has positioned producers and

traders well for tapping the tourism industry.

APPROACH AND METHODS

The information and data reported in this case study are based primarily on a

detailed situation analysis of the woodcraft industry conducted in Bushbuckridge

in 1992 and 1993 (Shackleton, S.E. 1993). This original study, in which an

action research approach was adopted, involved in-depth interviews with 45

woodcraft producers as well as other role players in the craft industry including

retailers and government officials. This primary material is supported by

numerous secondary sources providing background information on the district

(e.g., Shackleton et al. 1995; Pollard et al. 1998), the national woodcarving

industry (e.g., Newton 1998; Steenkamp 1999a) and on the growth and

harvesting rates of Pterocarpus angolensis and other carving species (e.g.,

Desmet et al. 1996; Clarke 1997; Shackleton 1997, 2002). A follow-up survey,

in which much of the information was updated and augmented, was conducted

in September 2000. This included interviews with woodworkers, conservation

authorities, and representatives from various support organisations. All the

main markets and retailers were revisited and traders interviewed.

The Rand/US dollar exchange rate in September 2000, when the new data

were collected, was US$1 = R7.00. Because of rapid devaluation, the exchange

rate at the time of writing was US$1 = R9.00. When the 1993 study was

conducted US$1 was worth approximately R3.10.

THE BUSHBUCKRIDGE WOODCRAFT INDUSTRY IN CONTEXT

History and cultural significance

Carving traditionally formed part of Tsonga culture, and the Tsonga people were

well known for the headrests and walking sticks they produced (Shackleton and

Adelfang 1992). This tradition has had little influence on the contemporary carving

industry, however, in contrast with other parts of Africa, such as Cameroon, where

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