Taking a journey with Sabelo you will learn about the rich Zulu culture but also a lot more about the community’s resistance against coal mining and their life-changing stories of how living next to a coal mine has changed their way of life. You'll get to live and experience the Zulu culture, visit the local headman to be introduced to village basic principles and behaviours. Learn about the rural skill of collecting good firewood, make fire, cook on a traditional "poitjie" pot.
Experience cattle herding, dipping, and milking. Learn more about the importance of livestock in Zulu culture. Learn how to work with traditional beads and how to weave a Zulu mat
Learn how to prepare traditional beer, visit a local sangoma to learn more about traditional medicine and their ancestral healing powers, throw bones read your future.
Cycle around the area to witness the devastation that has been caused by the mine, meet and interact with the local community to learn more about their struggles, see how can you help to strengthen their struggle. You will visit both people that were relocated and those that were not relocated but all live next to the mine.
Meet Sabelo
Sabelo lives alongside the iMfolozi Wilderness area and an anti-coal mining activist, an ecotourism graduate and passionate about his community and sustainable development.
Sabelo has worked with various NGOs that advocate for environmental justice and rural economic development. Sabelo also belongs to the Mfolozi Community Environment Justice Organisation (MCEJO) which has over 4000 members working to protect his community from the negative impacts of mining.
Mush of Sabelo’s work revolves around assisting researchers and journalists with their research and fieldwork. Sabelo is passionate about making sure that the voice of the voiceless communities living around the mines in Zululand are being heard and their concerns are being taken care of.
Get Involved
You can assist Sabelo, his work in the community and his tourism business by firstly making a booking! But there are some other ways you can lend a helping hand, Mpembe Zulu Experiences by:
- Donating any old (or new) bicycles which can be used by community members
- Support office equipment, especially printers for the community NGO / Anti Mining work
- The project is also keen to start canoe tours on a nearby dam (Mbukwini Dam) just outside iMfolozi Wilderness Area. If you are willing to donate canoes or work in collaboration with us on this tourism experience, please drop us a line
