South Africa ran the risk of destroying its wild areas and the emerging eco-tourism industry if it continued to blindly chase after more conventional forms of economic growth.
That was the message from Essop Pahad, Minister in the President's Office, on Monday when he welcomed top film editors and producers to Durban at the opening of the Wild Talk Africa international wildlife film festival.
While it was important to pursue some of the more traditional forms of industrial and economic growth, South Africa also had major potential to reduce poverty and create jobs through tourism and the eco-tourism industry.
"But we cannot have eco-tourism if we destroy the very nature that sustains eco-tourism," Pahad said. He did not, however, refer to any specific regions of the country.
The minister said it was also clear to him that if South Africa was to reap the fruits of eco-tourism then a wider cross-section of people needed to benefit from the industry.
"We need to convince more and more of our people that (protecting the environment) is the right thing to do." Local and international film-makers could also play a major role in protecting the environment for future generations.
"Making wildlife films is more important than making soapies - even though soapies are more profitable."
- This article was originally published on page 2 of The Mercury on April 25, 2006
