99
4
belonged to one white family. When land has been for sale in the areas around
Namaqua National Park, the national park authorities (SANParks) have been outbidding the state agricultural authorities. This has meant that instead of the land being
redistributed to poor landless people, it has been added to the area of the national
park. SANParks has had generous funding available to purchase land, and in addition,
white farmers and the mining company De Beers generally prefer to sell land to the
national park rather than having it go to redistribution. This seems to be a result of the
dominant discourse, which states that small-scale farmers destroy the land they farm.
The first farm that was to become Namaqua National Park was purchased in
1988 by the South African multibillionaire Anton Rupert (1916–2006). The farm
was first managed by WWF as a flower sanctuary. Namaqualand is known within
South Africa primarily for its beautiful spring flowers. During spring, areas, which
some ecologists see as ‘disturbed’ or ‘degraded’, are covered by blankets of brightly
coloured annual flowers (. Photo 4.2). These areas are mostly located along roads,
previously farmed land or heavily grazed pastures. It is the spectacular displays of
colourful flowers in these places that attract tourists to Namaqualand.
. Fig. 4.1 Namaqua
National Park. (Source:
Created by the authors)
. Photo 4.2 The
annual flowering in
Namaqualand. While
tourists come to see these
displays of flowers in
spring
(August-September),
many ecologists and
conservationists see them
as signs of ‘disturbance’
or ‘degradation’. (Photo:
Poul Wisborg)
4.4 · Challenges to the Win-Win Discourse
4
belonged to one white family. When land has been for sale in the areas around
Namaqua National Park, the national park authorities (SANParks) have been outbidding the state agricultural authorities. This has meant that instead of the land being
redistributed to poor landless people, it has been added to the area of the national
park. SANParks has had generous funding available to purchase land, and in addition,
white farmers and the mining company De Beers generally prefer to sell land to the
national park rather than having it go to redistribution. This seems to be a result of the
dominant discourse, which states that small-scale farmers destroy the land they farm.
The first farm that was to become Namaqua National Park was purchased in
1988 by the South African multibillionaire Anton Rupert (1916–2006). The farm
was first managed by WWF as a flower sanctuary. Namaqualand is known within
South Africa primarily for its beautiful spring flowers. During spring, areas, which
some ecologists see as ‘disturbed’ or ‘degraded’, are covered by blankets of brightly
coloured annual flowers (. Photo 4.2). These areas are mostly located along roads,
previously farmed land or heavily grazed pastures. It is the spectacular displays of
colourful flowers in these places that attract tourists to Namaqualand.
. Fig. 4.1 Namaqua
National Park. (Source:
Created by the authors)
. Photo 4.2 The
annual flowering in
Namaqualand. While
tourists come to see these
displays of flowers in
spring
(August-September),
many ecologists and
conservationists see them
as signs of ‘disturbance’
or ‘degradation’. (Photo:
Poul Wisborg)
4.4 · Challenges to the Win-Win Discourse