Outer Mnweni Needle traverse

Somewhat off topic now - but I would be intrigued to know how the livelihoods have changed in Mnweni since '94. Dope obviously led to major cash inflow but there are kraals now that don't look nearly as good as they did in the 1980s and some are even apparently abandoned. Urbanisation must be a major pull factor on the region.

Thanx TM.

Feels like 'real exploration' when you go off the beaten track. Of course it is all relative, because while we think we explore and find, the people living there have already been there, as evidenced by the paths. Still great to do though, because they and us have totally different reasons for doing it and a different outcome.

So still explorers anyhow!

I don't know about the urbanization thing, i visited the Mnweni a number of times between 1987 & 1991, and then did not visit again until 2013.

The difference was striking. In the 90's the road only went a little past the police station, and there where only a few kraals past that point.

Since there was no bridge over the Thonyelana river, i can remember hardly any kraals up the Mnweni valley past that point (maybe only Mlambu’s Kraal). With the development of the bridge and the road several kilometers up the Mnweni valley, development has certainly increased markedly on the left bank of the Mnweni river (must be 100s of households?). Many of these are no longer built in the traditional way (they are mostly concrete brick), and are, quite frankly, an eyesore.

I suppose its in the name of development & progress, but to me it seems a great shame that this has been allowed to happen as far up the valley as it has.

mnt_tiska wrote: Somewhat off topic now - but I would be intrigued to know how the livelihoods have changed in Mnweni since '94. Dope obviously led to major cash inflow but there are kraals now that don't look nearly as good as they did in the 1980s and some are even apparently abandoned. Urbanisation must be a major pull factor on the region.

firephish wrote: I don't know about the urbanization thing, i visited the Mnweni a number of times between 1987 & 1991, and then did not visit again until 2013.

The difference was striking. In the 90's the road only went a little past the police station, and there where only a few kraals past that point.

Since there was no bridge over the Thonyelana river, i can remember hardly any kraals up the Mnweni valley past that point (maybe only Mlambu’s Kraal). With the development of the bridge and the road several kilometers up the Mnweni valley, development has certainly increased markedly on the left bank of the Mnweni river (must be 100s of households?). Many of these are no longer built in the traditional way (they are mostly concrete brick), and are, quite frankly, an eyesore.

I suppose its in the name of development & progress, but to me it seems a great shame that this has been allowed to happen as far up the valley as it has.

mnt_tiska wrote: Somewhat off topic now - but I would be intrigued to know how the livelihoods have changed in Mnweni since '94. Dope obviously led to major cash inflow but there are kraals now that don't look nearly as good as they did in the 1980s and some are even apparently abandoned. Urbanisation must be a major pull factor on the region.

Fair point Firephish. But my take is that in addition, the remote homesteads have been neglected.....

One useful variation to all of this is to take the ridge leading directly above the Mnweni Visitor Center. Step out the gate, cross the road and follow a series of paths almost all the way up the obvious ridge. Good way to skip the tedious roads, and as a bonus you get through the sandstone bands really easily.