Nkovukeni
A settlement on the Kosi Bay lake system, reachable only by boat or on foot — among the most isolated communities in the Park.
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Three hubs, deep
inside the Park
At Nkovukeni, KwaDapha and Mabibi, a library, a computer lab and a meeting room are proof that a World Heritage Site can change daily life for the people who live inside it.
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Community hubs inside the Park — Nkovukeni, KwaDapha and Mabibi
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Permanent jobs created for community members living in the Park
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South Africa’s largest marine protected area, on their doorstep
What the hubs do
Services that most of the country takes for granted
These are among the most remote settlements in South Africa — reached by sand track, far from the nearest town, library or internet connection. The hubs close that distance.
- A library for learners who otherwise study without reference books.
- A computer lab with connectivity for schoolwork, job applications and small business admin.
- A venue for meetings, training and community gatherings that previously had nowhere to happen.
- Ocean conservation awareness, connecting residents with the marine protected area they live beside.
The coast and lake systems these communities live on, and fish from.
The partnership
Built with WILDTRUST, under the EbA project
The hubs were delivered through a partnership between the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority and WILDTRUST under the Marine Protected Area Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) project — an approach that treats healthy ecosystems as frontline infrastructure for communities facing climate risk.
KwaDapha
A coastal community in the northern section, close to turtle-nesting beaches monitored every summer season.
Mabibi
Set behind the dune forest above one of the Park’s quietest beaches, alongside a community-run campsite.
Conservation must benefit the people who call this place home.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority
More ways the Park invests in its neighbours
The community hubs sit alongside enterprise grants, bursaries and environmental education across the uMkhanyakude District.