Hogsback locals say paramilitary-style security is ruining tourism

Hogsback, a lush valley in the Eastern Cape known for its mountainous hiking trails and biodiversity, is suffering from a sharp drop off in tourism after a forestry company enclosed the area with its non-indigenous pine plantations and stationed men with guns on almost all the walking routes that have been used by locals and visitors for more than 80 years.

While many leisure industry ventures have bounced back since the pandemic, Hogsback's economy has gone in the opposite direction. For a town mostly made up of small businesses that only thrive during holiday seasons, the impact has been shattering.