Original Research

Evaluation of the environmental and social sustainability policy of a mass tourism resort: A narrative account

Isabel Swart, André C. Horn
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 68, No 1 | a1264 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v68i1.1264 | © 2012 Isabel Swart, André C. Horn | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 15 May 2012 | Published: 14 September 2012

About the author(s)

Isabel Swart, Centre for Environmental Studies, University of Pretoria, South Africa
André C. Horn, Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

The recordation of the life stories of individuals residing in the community of Ledig, who have been dependent on the Sun City Resort situated in the Pilanesberg area in the North West Province of South Africa for their quality of life for more than 20 years, provided the basis for the evaluation of the environmental and social sustainability of this micro-cosmos on a multidisciplinary level. This study focused on the hermeneutical arch of narrative theory within the framework of human geography and sustainability science. The natural environment was evaluated for the role it plays in the sustainability of the livelihoods of the Ledig community members as well as the institutional life of the Sun City Resort. The results of this study suggested that the environmental policy for the Sun City Resort, formalised in 2004, has been guiding the Sun City Resort to contribute positively to the sustainability of the area. The study also demonstrated that a focus on the next generation of potential employees and the environmental education of all the communities were crucial to ensure the resilience of the social and ecological capacity of the area.

Keywords

Life History Research; environmental-social dynamics; sustainability; tourism industry

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