ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive March 1999 Top Zimbabwe Guide Moves to Musango, March 7 1999 Top Zimbabwe guide Chris Worden has had to sell his latest venture, Manyuli Springs, due to lack of suitable investors. He will now be joining the Musango Camp team to run Maronga Tented Camp. Maronga Tented Camp, which is situated on the Maronga River, is tucked well into the Matusadona National Park at the top end of the Ume River. Chris Worden has been in the wildlife industry for many years. Starting in 1981 he spent 5 years with the Zimbabwe Department of National Parks before branching out with his own camps - Kanjedza and Kaburi. New Zimbabwe Airline, March 7 1999 Quick and easy access to lodges and camps in the Matopos area near Bulawayo has become a reality with the birth of Zimbabwe's latest privately-owned small airline, Migration Air. The company will utilize two Piper light aircraft with two Cessna's for back-up. Clients can be flown in from various points, including Bulawayo, Hwange, Victoria Falls, Harare, the Lowveld and Maun in Botswana. Upgrades at Busiest Africa's Busiest Airport, March 7 1999 Johannesburg International Airport handled 10 million passengers last year, making it the busiest airport in Africa. The airport is currently undergoing major renovation work and a total of US $139 million has been budgeted for improvements until 2003. Plans include an upgraded international terminal building including a new international arrivals and transfer terminal, an extended international departures check-in area, a 4000 bay multi-story parkade, a duty-free mall, additional retail outlets and the construction of office space. Southernmost Point of Africa Declared a Gift to Earth, March 7 1999 The Agulhas National Park was officially launched on March 1 by the South African Minister for the Environment, Dr Pallo Jordan. The new park was also declared a Gift to the Earth in line with the World Wide Fund For Nature's global "The Living Planet" campaign. This is the second newly established South African national park to be made a Gift to the Earth by the South African government. The Cape Peninsula National Park, which was launched in May 1998, was declared a Gift to the Earth by President Nelson Mandela on World Environment Day, June 5, 1998. Malawi To Get Television, March 14 1999 Malawi, one of the last few countries in the world without its own television signal, may soon have one if plans by government to launch Television Malawi materialize. Secretary for the Malawi Ministry of Information, Beaton Munthali, said the Malawi government has set aside March 27, 1999 for the official launch which may be attended by Namibia's President Sam Nujoma whose country has been involved in the training of TV Malawi personnel. U.S. Sees Kenya as Safe for Tourists, March 14 1999 In light of last week's attack on 8 tourists in Uganda the United States Embassy in Nairobi has told American tourists not to worry about their security, citing that Kenya is one of the safest countries in Africa. Information Officer Chris Schaff of the US embassy in Kenya said that last week's attack in Uganda where eight tourists were killed by Hutu rebels should not be linked to the whole of east Africa. "Tourists should not be scared to visit Kenya. We have many visitors from the States enjoying the country's facilities at the moment". He urged tour agencies to inform tourists about the geographical differences of the east African region, saying many potential American tourists assume Uganda to be like Kenya when it is not. Lufthansa to Fly Frankfurt-Harare Direct, March 14 1999 German airline Lufthansa will introduce three direct flights a week between Zimbabwe's capital Harare and Frankfurt later this month, a senior airline official said this past Wednesday. Lufthansa's general manager in Harare, Herbert Reichle, said the new route would replace the existing route via Johannesburg, and reduce flying time by four hours to 10. Reichle said the airliner would also replace the Boeing B747-400 currently flying the route with a 247 seat Airbus A340. Mr. Reichle noted that "from our point of view, Lufthansa's investment in Zimbabwe is substantial. By operating a dedicated aircraft valued at $100 million to Harare, Lufthansa is demonstrating its confidence in the future of the Zimbabwean market". He added that a recently concluded agreement between Lufthansa and United Airlines would soon enable daily flights between the United States and Harare, Zimbabwe. All Welcome at Johannesburg Travel Lounge, March 21 1999 International travelers at Johannesburg International Airport can now enjoy a passenger lounge that caters to all travelers no matter what class of travel or what airline they are using. The newly renovated Premier Club International lounge (formerly the Capricorn lounge) in the International departures hall provides relaxation amenities, business facilities and refreshments to all travelers for a minimal fee. Fees are structured to encourage regular visits: frequent visitors pay R35 per visit with their Premier Club card and once-off visitors pay R50 for access to the lounge. New Air Charter Option in Zimbabwe, March 21 1999 Sefofane Air Charters, well-established in Botswana, has been set up in Zimbabwe and offers charters and transfers between Victoria Falls Airport and the camps in the Kariba and Hwange areas. Sefofane currently does all the flying in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe for Wilderness Safaris, which has camps and runs safaris throughout the Southern African region. Sefofane's Victoria Falls office opens on 1 April 1999. Cape Town's Mount Nelson Hotel Wins Award, March 21 1999 Cape Town's Mount Nelson Hotel won the 1999 Best Hotel in Africa Award at the World Travel Awards in the Bahamas in October 1998. The hotel also made it on to Conde Nast Traveler magazine's 1999 Gold List while its signature restaurant, The Cape Colony, was selected as one of the world's top 10 restaurants by Hotels magazine (US) in June last year. Set in nine acres of landscaped gardens at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town in the Western Cape guests are accommodated in 226 Edwardian-style guestrooms and suites as well as the recently opened Palm Avenue Wing. Most recent famous guests have included: The music group, U2; singers Helmut Lotti, Janet Jackson; actor Wesley Snipes and tennis player Gabriella Sabatini. Protection for Cape Penguins, March 21 1999 The Cape Peninsula National Park has finalized measures to safeguard penguins at the Boulders Beach near Simon's Town, South Africa. A protective wall has been erected and access routes have been blocked off to confine the penguins to the seaward side. Table Mountain Fire under Control, March 21 1999 The fire on Devil's Peak, which started the evening of March 10 has been brought under control by fire fighting staff of the South African National Parks and the Municipality of Cape Town. Some 170ha of fynbos vegetation was burnt in the vicinity of Oppelskop Ridge. No damage to buildings has been reported and the natural vegetation will soon regenerate itself with the impending winter rains. Blue Train Wins Award, March 21 1999 Some 250 000 travel agents from 181 countries voted the Blue Train as the "World's Leading Luxury Train" at the 1998 World Travel Awards. The Blue Train travels between Pretoria and Cape Town return; between Pretoria and Victoria Falls; between Pretoria and Hoedspruit in the Northern Province, and between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Guests are accommodated in five-star luxury and deluxe daytime compartments. At night they convert to twin or double-bed suites. Each has an en-suite shower or bath, with marble floors and gold fittings. Wilderness Safaris Secures Scuba Permit, March 21 1999 Wilderness Safaris has been granted permission to offer scuba diving activities off the Rocktail Bay coast in South Africa. A boat will come from Sodwana to pick up guests just off the shore and take them out to dive on the reefs, where outstanding tropical fishlife exists. This will be at an extra cost and must be booked in advance. Ivory Price Unknown, March 21 1999 Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe are battling to value their ivory stockpiles for the auction of hundreds of tusks to Japanese buyers in the next two months. The three countries have as yet been unable to set reserve prices. "There has been no legal trade for 10 years, no one knows what the ivory is worth," Botswana's wildlife director Sedia Modise said last Tuesday. Under the July 1997 agreement with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the green light for trade in ivory will be given at midnight on April 18, 1999. Logging Causing Environmental Problems at Mt Kenya, March 21 1999 An ecological disaster looms in Kenya's Mount Kenya and the Aberdare ranges, where widespread logging of pristine forests is out of control, an aerial survey by the Kenya Wildlife Service has established. The warden said "There are many hardwood markets as the wood is ideal for furniture." Countries Join Hands to Fight Wildlife Crime, March 21 1999 Six African countries (Republic of Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) have formally empowered an international Task Force to fight wildlife crime in Africa. Referred to by many as African Interpol for Wildlife the task force will be headquartered at the Kenya Wildlife Service in Nairobi. The establishment of the Task Force will strengthen the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Task Force was the idea of a group of wildlife law enforcement officers from eight African countries who met in Lusaka in 1992. Air Botswana Increases Flights To Okavango Delta, March 28 1999 April through November Air Botswana will offer a twice daily round trip flight from Johannesburg to Maun and the Okavango Delta on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. For the rest of the week, there is one daily direct service to Maun and another via Gaborone. The period of the new timetable includes the Okavango high season, when winter days are not too hot, and the level of the floodwaters and the vegetation of the delta are ideal for game viewing. Wilderness Safaris Acquires Best Safari Camp in Zimbabwe (and others), March 28 1999 Wilderness Safaris has acquired Ruckomechi Camp in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe from Shearwater. Wilderness has also acquired Giraffe Springs in Hwange National Park and The River Club in Zambia. Kiplin'gs of Kariba Has Been Sold!, March 28 1999 The luxury lodge, Kipling's of Kariba, set on the shore of Lake Kariba near the Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe has been sold by Shearwater to Zimbabwe Sun. Zimbabwe's President to Retire?, March 28 1999 Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, who has been at the helm of the country for the past 19 years, has indicated that he will relinquish some of his powers before next year's elections, and has nominated two cabinet ministers to succeed him. Independent member of parliament for Harare South, Margaret Dongo, told parliament that the president had made it clear that he would leave the conduct of next year's parliamentary elections to Emmerson Mnangagwa, the minister of justice, legal and parliamentary affairs and Sydney Sekeramayi, the minister of state security. Zimbabwe's fourth parliamentary elections are scheduled for the year 2000, while presidential elections will only take place in 2002. Whatever the outcome of next year's parliamentary elections, Mugabe will remain president until presidential elections take place. The minister without portfolio, Edison Zvobgo admitted that he would accept the honour if nominated to succeed Mugabe. Mandela Bows Out, March 28 1999 President Nelson Mandela of South Africa made his final speech to a packed session of the South African parliament in Cape Town. In an emotionally charged atmosphere, opposition leaders from across the political spectrum paid tribute to the man they credit with pulling South Africa back from the brink of civil war and transforming the country into a modern, multi-racial democracy. President Mandela appeared deeply moved by the tributes, which underlined his pivotal role in the construction of post-apartheid South Africa. Then came the moment for him to begin his final speech, which is the first of many farewells expected over the next few months. It was filled with President Mandela's favourite themes of reconciliation and renewal and his desire to build a better world for the next generation of South Africans. He thanked his colleagues from all parties for their commitment to political transformation and urged them to continue their good work when South Africa's second post-apartheid parliament sits once again after elections in June. His successor, Thabo Mbeki, who is expected to become president after South Africa's second multi-racial elections in June this year, said: "Mandela is a bright star who has lit up Africa's darkest skies." Return to Weekly Update Archive |
