29 Mar 2022

The establishment of Kanye Tourism and Hospitality Association (KATHA) will ensure sustainable utilisation of remarkable sites in Kanye and surrounding areas.

In an interview, Royal Plateau Hotels director and KATHA chairperson, Mr David Bogale said Kanye had remarkable tourism potential, which remained untapped and unknown to residents.

Therefore, he said tourism and hospitality providers in Kanye formed KATHA to derive economic benefits from fascinating heritage, historical and attraction sites in Kanye.

He said if fully utilised, the sites would improve livelihoods in the community.

Mr Bogale said they intended to bring stakeholders together to speak in one voice in creating awareness about the area’s beauty to the rest of the nation and the world at large.

“We aim to attract local and international tourists to the area,” he added.

Mr Bogale said once tourism boomed in the area, there would be a lot of developments such as improved access roads, water supply, building of a stadium, frequent cleaning of the area and many others. 

Tourism and hospitality in the area, he said, had potential to contribute to the economy and also create employment opportunities.

“It is vital that the nation and the world at large be aware of tourism potential in other areas to acknowledge, appreciate and experience it,” he said.

Mr Bogale explained that going forward, the association would have an annual calendar of events, such as tourism day.

“These kind of events would market and grow tourism in the area, we could have already hosted some but our plans were derailed by COVID-19,” he said.

The events, he said would not only benefit those in the tourism and hospitality industry, but different sub-sectors such as public transport.

Some of the heritage sites found in the area included Pharing Gorge, Difalana, Kgosi Bathoen II Statue, Mmalekwa royal cemetery, Bathoen bird sanctuary, Mmakgodumo and Mmamokhasi dam.

He explained that Difalana were traditionally used to store grains such as sorghum and maize for redistribution during drought or emergencies, while Bathoen bird sanctuary was a home to a variety of bird species.

Pharing gorge, he said, had a rich history from the Mfecane era as Bangwaketse used it to hide from Mzilikazi’s Ndebele raids. Ends