ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive June 1999 Botswanan Wins Miss Universe, June 6 1999 The whole of Botswana is celebrating that one of their own, Ms. Mpule Kwelagobe, has won the 1999 Miss Universe title. Ms. Kwelagobe is 19 years of age. Victoria Falls Rafting Starts, June 6 1999 The Zambezi River level has finally dropped and whitewater rafting has commenced. Canoe safaris on the river above the Victoria Falls were a well received alternative during the month-long rafting closure. Security Vital in Boosting Kenya’s Tourism, June 6 1999 A substantial amount of money and energy is needed to give a shot in the arm to Kenya’s ailing tourism industry. While the emphasis will no doubt be focused on good publicity abroad as well as on the restoration and improvement of the infrastructure in places like game parks and hotels, of much greater concern is security. While positive publicity and the infrastructure remain crucial and relevant, security, or rather, the lack of it, has grave implications on this sensitive industry - as past events have shown. Assurances like those given by Narok District Commissioner Joseph Kimiywi this week that a special security squad has been sent to Masai Mara are very welcome. It is time that attacks like the one reported last Friday from Ngoshuan (in the Mara) became events of the past. Cape Town Cable Car Rates Reduced, June 6 1999 The price of taking the two-minute cable car ride up Table Mountain has been reduced as part of the Western Cape's "Secret Season" campaign to woo tourists to the region during off-season. The Table Mountain Aerial Cable Car Company has announced that a return ticket for adults is now R45 (US $7.25) until September 15 when the price will return to R60 (US $9.75). Cape Town Airport Parking Eased, June 6 1999 Visitors to Cape Town should report fewer parking woes at Cape Town International Airport with the completion of an US $1.85 million dollar project to increase the number of parking bays and improve traffic flow. The installation of a pre-pay parking system with an additional 900 bays by September should ease frustration. Bottle necks caused by the pay-as-you-exit system and a serious lack of parking bays at peak times had led to many complaints received by the Airports Company in recent years as the airport reported record numbers of passengers. The parking upgrade is part of the US $131 million project to expand and improve the Cape Town Airport and make it more user-friendly. Clinton, Gore Praise South Africa on Elections, June 6 1999 President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore on Friday congratulated South Africa on successful national elections. "Their peaceful and fair conduct and the tremendous voter turnout are a testament to South Africa's extraordinary transformation," Clinton said. "I congratulate all the parties and candidates who participated." Gore congratulated the victorious African National Congress and its leader, Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, on the "powerful vote of confidence" they received in the balloting. The ANC received 67 percent of votes cast and were close to a powerful two-thirds share of parliamentary seats. Mbeki is to replace the retiring Nelson Mandela as president June 16. Clinton said the elections, the first test of South Africa's five-year-old democracy, represented an important step on the country's efforts to build an inclusive, democratic and free South Africa. USA and South African National Parks to Work Together, June 6 1999 The national parks of South Africa and United States have agreed to work together after the director of the US National Parks Service toured several South African reserves, said Adel Smit, spokesperson for the South African National Parks. She said the director of the US National Parks Service, Robert Stanton, visited the Kruger National Park, as well as the West Coast and Cape Peninsula National Parks. "He also visited Robben Island and Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden," she added. SANP Chief Executive Mavuso Msimang accompanied Stanton on the tour. Both men agreed that their organizations would benefit from closer cooperation in their social ecology and community involvement programs. Kenya Lifts Visa Requirements for Europeans, June 13 1999 In a bid to rebuild the country's stagnant tourism industry Kenya has lifted visa requirements for European visitors. Tourism industry operators have applauded the decision. Kenya Tourist Board chairman Eliud Mahihu said: "This is a moment of great joy to the industry. It is a good message of hope." Jan Mohamed, the chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation, welcomed the move, saying it would help increase the flow of tourists from Europe to Kenya. Kenyan tourism minister Henry Kosgey announced Monday that the UK was among a group of six European Union countries that will benefit from the lifting of visa requirements. Others are Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Kosgey explained the action was not a "blanket waiver" but would be applicable for visitors coming to Kenya on holiday and visits that are not more than 30 days. Kenya had imposed visa requirements on all British passport holders in November 1997, with the then foreign minister Kalonzo Musyoka saying that it was a reciprocal measure following the same treatment on Kenyan nationals by Britain. Kenyan tourism has been stagnant following attacks on resorts and tourists. Tanzania Has Arrested 2,500 Poachers, June 13 1999 Tanzania has arrested over 2,500 poachers over the past two decades in an effort to protect wild animals, said an official with the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. Tanzania's wildlife population has decreased considerably in recent years. A survey conducted in 1976 in the world-famous Selous Game Reserve showed that there were more than 3,000 of rhinos then, but the number dwindled to between 100 and 200 at present due to poaching especially in early 1980s. In 1960s, the country's elephant population stood at 375,000 but drastically dropped to 44,000 in 1988. With the ban of ivory trade and the government crackdown on poaching, the number has rose to 110,000 currently. "Communities around game reserves and national parks should be involved in protecting wildlife for future prosperity," the official said. Zambezi Waterfront Readies to Make a Splash, June 13 1999 Designed especially with the 'young at heart' in mind, Safari Par Excellence's new development, the Zambezi Waterfront on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls, is on schedule to open at the end of August 1999. Located approximately four kilometers upstream from Victoria Falls, just opposite Siloka Island, the downstream section features riverside campsite accommodation for up to 90 guests; and an 'Adventure Village'- a cluster of 3m x 3m Bow Tents built on raised platforms with small decks - caters for up to 40 people. Facilities include hot and cold running water, a dining complex, plunge pool and merchandising shop. Upstream, accommodation is in nine en-suite thatched chalets, each consisting of three separate twin-bedded rooms. Meikles and Zimbabwe Sun Bid for Victoria Falls Hotel, June 13 1999 Meikles Africa Limited and Zimbabwe Sun Hotels (Zim-Sun), joint managers of the Victoria Falls Hotel, are negotiating to buy the hotel in a bid to secure their tenure, a Meikles Africa official said last week. The Victoria Falls Hotel, in operation since 1904, is the oldest hotel in Zimbabwe and occupies a strategic position in Zimbabwe’s prime tourism destination of Victoria Falls. Last August Meikles bought a 50% stake in the hotel from Zimbabwe Sun, which had been managing the hotel on a lease from Emerged Railway, an interstate company formed by the National Railways of Zimbabwe and Zambia Railways. Meikles and ZimSun, which have a 10-year management lease on the hotel which expires in the year 2008, last year expressed an interest to buy the hotel and this week industry sources said the two were believed to have put in a bid. The Meikles official said the main reason behind his company and ZimSun negotiating to buy the hotel was to secure their tenure. Analysts said if the two bought it, they would also be able to make improvements that would further increase its value. The Victoria Falls Hotel was voted the third best foreign hotel in the world in 1998 by readers of the United Kingdom’s Daily Telegraph. This April the Daily Telegraph’s readers ranked it among the leading hotels of the world. Rupert May Purchase Mozambican Dream Park, June 13 1999 Tobacco baron Anton Rupert may be about to finance the proposed Mozambican safari park of late US tycoon James Blanchard. South African magnate Anton Rupert may be considering a partnership with Blanchard Sodetur, the designated foreign investor for the concession. A well-known conservationist in the United States would also come into the deal. Anton Rupert (82) is the tobacco magnate who headed the Rembrandt Group, but his huge contributions to conservation are less well known. He is president of the World Wide Fund for Nature-South Africa, and founder and chair of the Peace Parks Foundation, which wants to set up cross-border conservation areas in Southern Africa. Virgin Introduces Double Beds on Flights, June 13 1999 Virgin Airlines is taking in-flight entertainment to a higher plane by offering double beds to couples travelling business class. "There's never been a better time to be a 'Virgin' passenger," quipped Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, at Amsterdam's Schipol Airport as he pulled back the covers on the airline's romantic innovation. The Upper Class twin seat can be converted into a double bed with solid screens that can be drawn around them. The Virgin announcement comes on the first anniversary of the discovery of Durban model Reema Mahaber and British businessman Charles Watkinson in carnal embrace on board a South African Airways flight from London to Johannesburg. Fellow passengers complained that the couple's amorous antics had interested young children who demanded explanations from embarrassed parents. Alert – Armed Gangs Once Again Rob American Tourists in Kenya, June 20 1999 Twenty-four American tourists were robber this past Thursday by a two-man gang armed with a rifle and a knife near Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. According to a statement from the Kenya Tourism Federation, the tourists, who lost an unspecified amount of money, were not injured during the 4.30 PM ordeal. "The gangsters ordered the tourists to get out of the vehicles they were travelling in and hand over their cash. They (the gangsters) then loaded all the tourists' luggage into one vehicle then drove off towards Naikara, Narok, with a driver, three kidnapped tourists, and keys from the other vehicles. Shortly afterwards, another tourist vehicle passing in the area took some of the stranded tourists to the Mara Sopa lodge where the group had been booked. The three kidnapped tourists and driver later joined the group with all of the stolen luggage’ according to the statement. Officials in the area have attributed the high rate of carjackings and robberies in the district to police complicity. American Tourists Robbed outside Masai Mara Game Reserve, June 20 1999 Twenty-four American tourists on their way to Kenya's famed Masai Mara game reserve were robbed, and three were briefly kidnapped, the Kenya Tourism Federation said Friday. No one was injured during the incident last Thursday, which happened about 30 miles outside the Mara Reserve. The attack began when two men with a rifle and a knife stopped the minibuses from Pollman's Safaris, and ordered the people to get out. The robbers then loaded the luggage into one minibus and drove off with three of the tourists, a driver and the keys to the other vehicles. Pollman's refused to comment on the incident. Attacks around the park and in Kenya have increased greatly over the past two years. Six tourists from Australia, Canada and Israel were robbed last month near the Mara reserve on their way to Mara Sopa. Earlier in the year a tour operator was killed and client’s robbed. Last year a man was killed for his video camera in the Mount Kenya region. It is our suggestion that if you are looking for a once in a life time, safe wilderness and wildlife safari in Africa - Kenya should be avoided until they can solve their security issues (not too mention improving their infrastructure!). Lufthansa Increases Flights in Southern Africa, June 20 1999 Lufthansa has introduced daily flights between Cape Town, Johannesburg and Frankfurt, while increasing to three its weekly services between Windhoek (Namibia), Harare (Zimbabwe) and Frankfurt. Kenyan Airports not Ready for Year 2000, June 20 1999 Airline industry experts fear that international airlines could soon cancel Kenya's airports out of their flying circuits following failure by the Kenya Airports Authority to make local aerodromes Year 2000 compliant. In a press release this week, the Kenyan Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. Chris Kuto, says Kenyan airports are Y2K compliant. "Over 80 per cent of our equipment is in compliance and contingent plans are in place in case problems related to the millennium bug emerge" he says. In addition the Kenya Association of Air Operators has warned its 60 members against using two airstrips in Maasai Mara Game Reserve because of their state of disrepair. The association says that the Keekorok and Musiara airstrips could be a threat to safety of aircraft users. Too Much, Too Quickly, Warns Safari Operator, June 20 1999 Marketing director for South Africa based Drifters Adventours recently stated that "long-term sustainability must be considered when satisfying the immediate needs of clients. Eco tourism needs to be extremely carefully monitored and can be a real double-edged sword. If not careful, operators can get caught up in a vicious circle, ending up in the destruction of the very area which was the original highlight of a true wilderness experience." Hill says that people who call themselves "eco-tourists" want, more and more, to venture farther and deeper into pristine wilderness areas and that it is up to the operator to gently guide clients away from demanding, for example, to drive off-road to obtain that 'extra special' Big Five sighting. He is especially outspoken, as an example, about operators who venture into Namibia and destroy 200-year-old camelthorn trees to use as campfire fuel, leave behind garbage and then masquerade under an eco-tourism 'label'. He also slams those who literally 'chase' and 'hunt-down' the traditional nomadic Himba people so that clients can pose with them for photographs, rewarding them with western medicines, tinned food, clothing and alcohol. "The Himba are becoming dependent on these products. This so-called pursuit of an eco-culture is destroying their traditional culture and - to their detriment - turning them into what we call 'Hollywood Himbas'. Drifters specializes in affordable, hands-on adventure camping tours throughout southern Africa. Exposing the True Eco-tourism Experience, June 20 1999 The often misunderstood issue of eco-tourism was recently discussed with Wilderness Safaris' Colin Bell who, as one of the company's founders back in 1983, is extremely passionate on the subject which lies at the very heart of its philosophy. "Tourism activities must be sensitive to the integrity of wild places and offer real benefits to the local communities. Depending on the return the communities receive from eco-tourism projects, they will be either gamekeepers - or poachers." As a virtual ground-breaker in its field, Bell confirmed that every one of Wilderness' more than two dozen lodges and tented camps throughout Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, comprehensively adheres to community upliftment and conservation principles. Amongst the conservation projects to which Wilderness contributes are the Wild Dog Conservation Fund, the Okavango Community Trust in Botswana and the Rocktail Bay Turtle Conservation Project in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. In describing which tourism projects should fall under the 'eco-tourism' banner Mr. Bell noted that to be effective, tour projects needs direct shareholder involvement, local upliftment and education - and there must be a willingness to plough money back into the neighboring communities. Eco-tourism can only be looked at with an extremely long-term vision. On Wilderness’ success Mr. Bell noted "I suppose we've just been lucky enough to have great people working for us, a great product to offer, and fantastic locations throughout Southern Africa. Wilderness Safaris is really a low-profile company. We prefer to keep our heads down, work hard and enjoy ourselves quietly." Wilderness offers a range of eco-conscious fly-in, cross-country and privately guided safaris throughout the African sub-continent. Botswana Basket Industry Hits Hard Times, June 20 1999 Botswana's famed basket industry has hit hard times. The market is there but natural resources are thin on the ground and the weavers, all women, are turning to more reliable ways to earn a living. The Northwest district is internationally renowned for the quality of its baskets, but here the raw ingredients such as palms and dye plants are increasingly hard to find. Twenty-six-year-old Boipuso Nyoke from the village of Shorobe on the edge of the Okavango Delta has been weaving since she was just five years old. Today she has to walk 10 kilometers just to find motsinsila, a plant used to produce a subtle yellow dye. It has also become more difficult to find the mokola palm, whose fronds are used to weave the baskets. Although Nyoke still earns her livelihood from weaving and is now a trainee basket cooperative manager, many other women have turned their backs on the traditional craft, at least for now. In the past, basket-making was practiced mainly during leisure time and done in-between household chores, such as collecting firewood and caring for children. The resulting product was purely functional. Round, closed baskets were used to store grains, seeds, herbs, fruits and even liquids. The flatter, open baskets were used to transport food (an ideal shape for carrying on the head), or for winnowing grain. Basket weaving for commercial purposes is relatively recent, having begun in the Gumare area about 25 years ago. According to handicraft buyer Andrew MacGregor, at independence in 1966 there were virtually no baskets in the Okavango Delta except those for personal use. These, he says, were plain, functional and often badly woven. The early 1970s, however, saw the arrival of Hambukushu refugees from Angola who brought their basket-making skills with them. Botswana government officers recognized the industry's potential for generating income in the rural areas and soon both refugees and locals were weaving for commercial purposes. Over the years the baskets became more patterned, with inspiration taken largely from nature. Today, Botswana's baskets are considered the most beautiful in Southern Africa and it would be near impossible to find any two with the same shape or design. The weavers take their art seriously and a large, top-standard basket can take months to make. Kenya Waives Tourist Visas for Six More Countries, June 27 1999 Kenya has waived visa requirements for tourists from six more countries, including the United States and Japan, in an attempt to give the battered tourism sector a boost, officials said on Friday. The United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Austria have been added to the list of countries exempt from needing a tourist visa. Earlier this month, the government said tourists from the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Netherlands did not need visas for stays of up to 30 days. Tourism officials said the decision to waive visa requirements could help boost the industry, which many feel has breathed its last breath. Tourism to Kenya has been in a slump for the past several years due to travel safety concerns, the poor state of the country's infrastructure and stiff competition from other African destinations. The number of tourists to Kenya last year were the lowest since 1993. US Closes 6 African Embassies For the Weekend, June 27 1999 The United States says it is temporarily closing six of its embassies in Africa, because of security concerns. The embassies are in Gambia, Togo, Madagascar, Liberia, Namibia and Senegal. The State Department said they would be closed until Sunday because they are believed to have been under surveillance by "suspicious individuals." The State Department said there had been no specific threats, but that US diplomatic missions around the world had been on high alert. Swissair Buys Stake in South African Airways, June 27 1999 Swissair is buying a 20% stake in South African Airways (SAA). Shunned during the apartheid years, SAA operates a fleet of almost 50 passenger jets, including 21 Boeing 747s and three Boeing 767s, to destinations across Africa and 14 of the world's largest capitals. Zimbabwe’s Chinhoyi Caves Facing Collapse?, June 27 1999 The Chinhoyi Caves, one of Zimbabwe’s most visually dramatic natural areas, is reportedly facing disaster in the form of cracking and collapsing cave walls. The cracks are the result of blasting in a quarry, currently being undertaken at a site close to the caves. The Chinhoyi caves, which lie 8km from the Chinhoyi town center, are very popular with the locals and also with foreign tourists travelling to Kariba and Chirundu. Lions and Hippos Kill 7 Zambians, June 27 1999 Seven people were killed by rampaging lions and hippos in Zambia's Central Province last weekend, Zambia Information Service has said. The service quoted an official named Ricky Milandu as saying Thursday in Choma in Southern Province that five of the seven were fishermen while the other two were farmers. The farmers were attacked when they were trying to protect their cattle from lions while the fishermen were attacked while they were fishing. He said the population of the wild beasts has tremendously increased in the area of Itezhi-tezhi, posing a threat to human life. The situation was serious as people have started moving in groups with spears and axes for fear of being attacked by the wild beasts. Milandu lamented that appeals to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to crop the beasts have gone unheeded. He said villagers have now threatened to take the law into their hands if they are not protected. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
