Political dimensions of environmental conflicts in Kosi Bay,South Africa: significance of the new post-apartheid governance system

The new demarcation of land in Kosi Bay, aimed at reversing the spatial legacy of apartheid, has resulted in competition and new environmental conflicts between political structures, conservation authorities and local communities. The current complex governance framework is attempting to overcome the problems created by the political structures of the apartheid era, during which time the declaration of natural areas for conservation resulted in forced removals and negative perceptions of conservation. The case study of Kosi Bay, a strategic area for tourism development, is a typical example of various confrontations that reflect the history of the past and the rivalries of the present.