ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive October 1999 Fire Nearly Burns Safari Camps in Okavango, October 3 1999 The Okavango area had such good rains during last year’s summer season that the whole of the Okavango has lush grasslands - even this late into the dry season. As the seasons change from winter to spring in late August and early September, the wind begins to gust. These winds often cause minor bush fires outside of the Okavango which burn eastwards and become major fires within the Delta. One such fire burnt through the eastern Okavango nearly burning several safari camps. The fire came close Chitabe, but fortunately left it unscathed. Guests were evacuated in the late afternoon to Maun as a safety precaution. Wilderness Safaris needed a day to clear the camp of soot and the camp reopened two nights later. Chitabe Trails and Chitabe Camp are now operational as usual. Wildlife viewing is superb as game is drawn into the area to feed on the new sweet grass in the area. Wilderness Safaris apologizes to all guests who were moved or inconvenienced. Wilderness Safaris Malawi and J&B Whiskey Sponsor Wildlife Relocation, October 3 1999 Wilderness Safaris Malawi and J&B Whiskey have facilitated a massive game relocation program in Malawi. They have resettled more than 150 head of game from unprotected areas of Malawi to the Liwonde National Park's Black Rhino Sanctuary. With assistance from South African National Parks personnel, 91 Cape Buffalo, 27 Roan Antelope, 25 Lichtenstein's Hartebeeste, 15 Eland, and 17 Zebra were relocated to the sanctuary last month. These animals will be closely monitored and as they breed, will slowly be filtered out into the Park. At present, there are also 6 Black Rhino - two adult pairs and two calves - in the Sanctuary. Born Caged, Cats will now Roam Free, October 3 1999 Until shortly before landing at Johannesburg International Airport, passengers on British Airways flight BA 055 were blissfully unaware there were three wild carnivores aboard. The three cats - a pair of fully grown lion and a leopard were en route from the Born Free Foundation in Kent, England to the Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape where they will "live out the rest of their lives in as near to natural surroundings as possible". The first passengers knew of the live cargo in the hold beneath their feet was shortly before landing when an announcement was made telling them there was 'precious cargo' aboard in the form of two lions and a leopard. All three cats were rescued from what actress Virginia McKenna, who starred in the original Born Free movies and now heads the Born Free Foundation, termed "appalling conditions". 26 Poachers Netted in Kilimanjaro, October 3 1999 In a recent crackdown Tanzanian guards caught 26 poachers and impounded 150 wire snares at the Kilimanjaro National Park. Lorivi Ole Moirana, chief warden of the park, noted that the poachers were responsible for about one third of the fire outbreaks in the Kilimanjaro forests. In 1993, the park's planning unit formulated a general management plan and made an environmental impact assessment to address concerns related to tourism development, park management and natural and cultural resources management. Air Botswana Pilot Crashes His Plane in Suicide Mission at Airport, October 11 1999 A disgruntled airline pilot, a Mr. Phatswe, commandeered an Air Botswana plane at the Gaborone Airport at 6:00 AM the morning of October 11, circled above for two hours and crashed it into two planes on the ground in a suicide mission, police said. The pilot, who died in the crash, was apparently alone aboard the 42-passenger craft. Officials said the pilot radioed the control tower and announced: "I intend to kill myself." There followed a desperate conversation between the emotional pilot and Botswanan officials in the tower. Deputy commander of Botswana's Defense Force, General Tobogo Masire, led efforts to talk Phatswe down. As the plane ran short of fuel, Phatswe threatened to crash it into an Air Botswana office building to settle an apparent grudge with the airline's management. The pilot had demanded to speak to Botswana's Vice-President Ian Khama and "was about to be put through to his office when the plane ran out of fuel," said Air Botswana general manager Joshua Galeforolwe. It was unclear what Phatswe's demands might have been. After being told by the control tower that there were people in the Air Botswana building, Phatswe crashed the plane into two other ATR-42s on the tarmac, destroying all three aircraft and himself in a fireball. There were no other casualties, Botswana's Department of Civil Aviation said. Phatswe had been grounded due to ill health, and took the plane without permission. "He was grounded because in the view of Air Botswana he was unfit to fly," said John Williams, the national carrier's commercial manager. He refused to elaborate on the reasons for the decision until an inquiry is complete. The crash has crippled the air carrier in this sparsely populated country in southern Africa, leaving it with only two other aircraft, a BAE146 which has been grounded with mechanical problems, and one plane on the direct run from Johannesburg to Maun. Chief Says "Think Twice Before you Pump Water from Okavango Delta", October 10 1999 The Paramount Chief of the BaTawana in the Okavango Delta of Botswana has appealed to the Namibian Government to give serious consideration to alternatives before deciding to pump water from Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The youthful Kgosi Tawana Moremi II said he was aware of Namibia’s serious water crisis but called on the authorities to follow the example of Botswana which has abandoned a similar water-pumping scheme. Moremi II said the Delta represents a significant resource in the region and is a key feature of the regional tourism market, which provides thousands of jobs and helps generate US$250 million in revenue for Botswana each year. "But there are people not related to tourism and who have no connection to the tourism industry. They, on a daily basis, sustain themselves from the river and I am representing those people. It is definitely not the last time that you hear of us and the Okavango Delta," he said. The Paramount Chief of BaTawana (the Okavango region) was spoke at the handing over of a report by the International Rivers Network and Conservation International on the future of the 15,000 square kilometer Okavango Delta to the Technical Team Leader of the Namibia Water Resources Management Review, Samuel Goagoseb, in Windhoek, Namibia. The report states that Namibia will not need to pump water from the Okavango Delta if Government takes emergency steps as soon as 2002 to secure the country’s future water supply. The Namibian Government is keen to pipe up to 20 million cubic meters of water a year from the shared Okavango River upstream of the Delta. However, Namibia’s intentions have alarmed environmental and tourism groups, which fear the scheme, will damage the river basin, in particular the river’s delta in Botswana. As a result the Nambian Cabinet agreed that a full environmental assessment study of the proposed pipeline will be undertaken. Black Rhino off Endangered List, October 10 1999 The black rhino has made an amazing comeback thanks to breeding programs - there are now over 60,000 of the animals in southern Africa alone. The rhino population is at the highest level it’s been in 50 years. Thanks to the introduction of Hiagra, a variant of Viagra specially developed for rhinos, their reproduction rate increased greatly. Poachers still kill several thousand black rhino each year but breeding can keep pace. Ivory Sale Hasn’t Revived Elephant Poaching, October 10 1999 Six months after Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana held controversial sales of ivory stock, wildlife officials in the southern African countries are hailing them as a success. "We have no evidence of increased poaching that is attributable to the ivory sale," Willis Makombe, the Zimbabwean director of National Parks told Reuters. The three countries say the April auctions - the first legal sales of ivory in 10 years - raised money for wildlife conservation and poor rural communities, and did not lead to a new wave of poaching. "We have not seen an increase in poaching since the sale" said Dr Pauline Lindeque, of Namibia’s Environment and Tourism Ministry. But some conservation groups and other countries, notably Kenya, maintain the resumption of the ivory trade has sparked poaching outside southern Africa which threatens the elephant population. Most wildlife specialists agreed that the 10-year ban on the sale and trade of ivory, imposed by the Geneva-based Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), had stemmed the slaughter of Africa’s elephants. In the decade before the ban, elephant numbers plummeted from about 1.3 million to around 600,000 as poachers sought tusks for the ivory trade. Due to the success of the ban and the subsequent stabilization and even increase of elephant populations in many parts of Africa, CITES earlier this year allowed Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana to hold one-off auctions of existing stockpiles of ivory. All three country’s have healthy elephant populations, Namibia with nearly 10,000, Zimbabwe with 80,000 elephant, and Botswana, a huge sparsely populated country, with between 80,000 and 100,000 of the world’s largest land mammals. CITES argued that the so-called "closed-loop auctions", would not lead to the resumption of a large scale trade in ivory. It also said the money raised from the auctions would be used for conservation projects and to help the rural poor, giving people in the poverty-stricken African countryside a vested interest in protecting elephants. Wildlife officials and many environmentalists agree. "If these resources are not managed in a way that benefits local populations, why on earth would they support them?" said Chris Styles, a South African environmental consultant and authority on elephant conservation. Styles said the rampant poaching of elephants in the 1980’s was attributable partly to the failure of governments to spread the economic revenues generated from eco-tourism to local communities - giving them little incentive not to kill elephants for profit or to prevent others from doing so. "If people see the long-term economic benefits in keeping animals around, you will have gone a long way to solving your poaching problem," he said. "They (the auction) were done to show you can use an asset to benefit conservation," said Zimbabwe’s Makombe. But outside southern Africa, there seems to be evidence that the auctions have sparked a fresh round of illegal elephant kills. Kenya, which fiercely opposed the resumption of ivory auctions, says poaching may be on the rise as a result. In late July, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said it had seized 350 kg of ivory, its largest haul in 10 years. It said at least 23 elephants, including 10 bulls, had been killed for the ivory. "We hope it will not take the death of any more elephants for the world to recognize the threat the ivory trade poses to our elephants throughout their ranges, "KWS said. "The once-off legal sales from Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe will once again create demand for the product and hence stimulate the illegal trade," said Janson Bell, a Johannesburg based activist with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). IFAW and some other conservation groups say the southern African sales may also pose a danger to Asia’s elephant population. CITES says the 50 tons in total that the three countries auctioned to Japanese buyers - in each case for an undisclosed sum - have been marked and are being carefully monitored. This step makes it difficult for poachers to launder "dirty" ivory on the market. New lodges for Namibia’s Skeleton Coast Park, October 10 1999 Wilderness Safaris increases its lodge portfolio in Namibia from April 2000 when it opens two new lodges on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. The Johannesburg based tour operator was granted a private concession in a joint venture with Namibian company Olympia-Reisen in the Skeleton Coast Park, where the luxury tented camps will accommodate a maximum of 10 guests each. The camps are sited in the remote and private northern sector of the park, north of Mowe Bay to south of the Kunene River. Elephant Shooting Upsets Environmentalists, October 10 1999 The recent "accidental" shooting of an elephant in Namibia’s northern region of Kunene by an anti-poaching unit has angered a conservation group. Namibia’s Environment and Tourism Ministry’s anti-poaching unit at Sesfontein shot and wounded an elephant known as Clarissa about two weeks ago while driving her and her calves away from a garden. Ben Beytell, deputy director of resources management in the ministry, said Clarissa was wounded by a bullet that ricocheted from the ground after she turned to charge at unit members. But Save the Rhino Trust deputy director Samson Uri-khob said the elephant was shot in the hind leg, which cast doubt on whether it was shot accidentally. "Touch the Wild" Improves Kanando Tree Camp, October 10 1999 Zimbabwe’s "Touch the Wild" tourism group have been fine tuning some of their lodge properties. A raised platform overlooking the waterhole has been added at Kanondo Camp. This platform is being used for moonlit dinners. On the "Touch the Wild" estate, bordering Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, a further 8 kilometers of wildlife viewing roads have been added. This brings in a new circuit, which takes in two waterholes. Wildlife Viewing Along Lake Kariba’s Shore Declines, October 10 1999 Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba, which for years has had water levels far below its maximum capacity, is now about five feet below maximum water level. The horizontal slash around the shoreline that represented the old high water mark has all but disappeared. Tour operators have noted that, with normal rainfall in the upper Zambezi catchment area this coming rainy season, Lake Kariba will fill next year for the first time in decades. However last season’s excellent rains have had another effect. Abundant springs and waterholes inland from the lake shore, coupled with excellent vegetation growth, have resulted in Kariba’s traditional lakeshore wildlife viewing not being remotely as good as in previous years. This is because wildlife has not been forced back to the lake daily to drink. Spurwing, Fothergill, Katete and other lodge properties that, in the past, have been able to offer top class lakeshore game viewing by boat, on foot and by vehicle, were now having to work much harder to deliver elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo and plains game sightings for their clientele. In recognition of this Ultimate Africa is recommending clients skip Matusadona National Park on Premier Series safaris and instead spend the usual 2 nights spent at Matusadona at Botswana’s Chobe National Park near Victoria Falls. On Ultimate Africa’s Voyager Series safaris where clients track rhino on foot through Matusadona there is much more flexibility in where clients walk / hike and wildlife viewing is still good. Zimbabwe’s Park’s Pushing to Close "Hippo Pools", October 10 1999 Zimbabwe’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management is embroiled in a dispute with its lessees at Umfurudsi Hippo Pools safari camp. Ian and Susan Jarvis have been operating the camp for the past 17 years and in that time have spent over Z$5 million. Now the National Parks Department, the lessor, has ordered the Jarvises to close down the operation despite a High Court order to the contrary. "Initially the area was very inaccessible with little wildlife or other attractions for visitors and tourism," Ian Jarvis said. "No other amenity exists here and because it is a marginal area, no interest has been shown by other operators, hence the only development towards tourism has been ourselves." Jarvis said he had put in a 150 + kilometer road network and over 100 kilometers of footpaths for hiking trails throughout the 74,000 hectare property. Lawyers acting for the couple insists that the only grounds on which their clients were being persecuted were that they were white. The story suggests that then tourism minister Chen Chimutengwende and National Park’s boss Willis Makombe (who has since been asked to retire) visited the camp on the pretext of a ‘provincial familiarization tour’ after which letters advising Jarvis to vacate started arriving. Subsequently tourists were barred from entering the park for the reason that the operators no longer had the blessing of the National Parks to operate. It was not clear from the report whether the camp was now operating normally. Visitors Invited to Traditional African Ritual, October 10 1999 Across the Victoria Falls bridge is Mukuni Village, where life goes on unaffected by hectic activity and the influence of foreign intrusion. At this village, the population of 8,000 carries on in the simple manner that characterized life centuries ago. Women go about their daily chores: pounding millet and maize, mud-plastering the walls of their pole huts, taking babies for weighing in the scale slung in a teak tree. The chief lives in a ‘palace’ – a simple three-bedroom affair at the center of the settlement – the only electrified structure in the village. A step outside his majesty’s residence is the tree under which the then chief met the missionary David Livingstone. Fifty meters across the open clearing is the village jail, a tiny room with a padlocked trellis-like gate for a door where village miscreants are thrown, the usual offence being disturbing the peace after a night of drunken revelry. A stone’s throw away is the village courthouse, again a simple square structure of bricks, run under modern law. The present chief has allowed a certain degree of modern technology to infiltrate his kingdom, such as boreholes for clean drinking water, schools and clinics. He however is emphatic that the ways of his people are not soiled by foreign influences, and there is an evident pride, in all the people we met, in their way of life. The death of a powerful African chief, his burial and the coronation of his successor will be held at the village in December this year. Chief Mukuni III has given his permission for visitors to witness part of the events, which will take place over a period of three days. Playing a key role in this ritual will be the high priestess, without whom no family in the village can mourn its dead before she and the chief are informed. It is she who allocates a burial plot in such an event, and who is present at every funeral in the village. Accommodation for visitors is available at Songwe Point Village, perched on the lip of the Zambezi river gorge several kilometers away. Songwe Point, a functioning recreation of a real African village, excepting a few essential modifications such as bathrooms and toilets. Virgin Promises Lower Fares on Cape Town Flight, October 10 1999 ‘We’ve been fighting for several years to fly non-stop to Cape Town and we’re absolutely delighted to have won the right to do so," said a delighted Richard Branson, who welcomed the news that South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority had awarded Virgin Atlantic the right to operate one service a week between London and Cape Town. Virgin Atlantic Airways will provide passengers on this important route with all the benefits of increased competition - not least with lower fares and improved quality. We intend to start flying this November and we’ll inaugurate the route with a special launch fare." Cape Town will become Virgin Atlantic’s 18th destination worldwide. International Acclaim for Two of South Africa’s Hotels, October 10 1999 Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel has been named fourth "Best Leisure Hotel in the World", and the seventh-best hotel overall in the renowned "Top 100" by readers of Conde Naste Traveler UK, one of the world’s most popular travel magazines. The hotel achieved scores of over 90% in 20 categories including location, food/restaurants, service, standard of accommodation, environmental friendliness and value for money. Over 27,000 readers responded to the magazine survey in May. The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City, South Africa has been voted Africa’s third-best hotel and sixth-best in the world in a poll conducted among thousands of readers of the Diners Club publication, Travel & Leisure. South African Airways to Stop Miami – Cape Town Flight, October 17 1999 Cape Town's tourism authorities are outraged by South African Airways decision to cancel its direct flights to and from Miami saying it will harm the city's growing tourism industry. The airline has decided to offer flights from Cape Town, via Johannesburg, to Atlanta. Botswana to Replace Airline Fleet after Suicide Crash, October 17 1999 After a suicide pilot destroyed its tiny fleet, Air Botswana said last Wednesday it would replace the planes by the end of the month. Air Botswana officials said the company would likely stick by its French-made ATRs. Three ATRs were destroyed last Monday when a disgruntled airline pilot made an unauthorized flight and crashed into the other two. Capt. Chris Phatswhe, 33, died in the crash. There were no passengers on the planes. South Africa is Third Least Corrupt Country in Africa, October 17 1999 South Africa is currently ranked 32 out of 85 in a "corruption list" of countries around the world and holds third place in Africa - behind Botswana and Namibia as the least corrupt countries. Presently, top of the anti-corruption index is Denmark followed by Finland, Sweden, New Zealand and Iceland. Cameroon ranked first ahead of Paraguay, Honduras, Nigeria and Tanzania as the most corrupt countries in the world. The index which is based on "international perceptions", is compiled by Transparency International. Victoria Falls Rejects Amusement Park, October 17 1999 Plans by Mazuka Safaris to set up a joy-ride amusement park in Victoria Falls, has met with stiff resistance from a number of quarters. The proposed facility would be sited 350 meters northwest of Elephant Walk along the game corridor of the Victoria Falls. The main opponent of the scheme is the physical planning department of the ministry of local government and national housing, which has lodged its objections with the Victoria Falls municipality. Elephant Hills Conservation Club, a lobby group concerned with the preservation of the environment, has also expressed its concern to the municipality, saying the proposed development could threaten the rich natural resources of the country’s prime resort area. In its objection letter, the Elephant Hills Conservation Club chairman, Stanley Katsenga, says: "The development of an amusement park will severely damage the ecology of the area and accelerate noise pollution." Katsenga said it was imperative that Victoria Falls’ natural environment be preserved in the interests of the wildlife in the area and of its reputation as a world heritage site. "Game, such as buffalo, elephant, impala and baboons frequent this area for grazing or relaxing after a drink from the river, and it is also home to several species of birds," Katsenga said. Alan Thomson, manager of Zimbabwe Sun Limited, which has a massive investment in the hotels and lodges at the Victoria Falls said: "From our point of view, we are quite concerned about the proposed development in the Victoria Falls area, although at this stage, we are not aware of the type of amusement structure that is being proposed." Zimbabwe’s Rainbow Tourism Group Plans Expansion, October 17 1999 Zimbabwe’s Rainbow Tourism Group plans to expand the Rainbow Hotel at Victoria Falls from 44 to 100 rooms. RTG is also planning to develop a new five-star hotel in Victoria Falls area next year. The new hotel should enable RTG to fully cover the market in Victoria Falls with the two-star Rainbow Hotel, three-star A'Zambezi River Lodge and the new five-star luxury hotel. Zambia Rescues Artifacts from Victoria Falls Hotel Site, October 17 1999 Zambia's National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) started removing prehistoric artifacts from land surrounding the world renowned Victoria Falls so that the South African-based Sun International hotel chain can build an ultra-luxury hotel and villa complex on the site. NHCC executive director Nicholas Katenekwa confirmed that Sun International had released the first US$5,000 draft of a US$15,000 budget to excavate and remove prehistoric artifacts from the hotel site. Katenekwa said the artifacts were the remains of stone and iron age settlements in the area dating back as far as 60,000 years ago. The NHCC archaeological team is expected to have its rescue mission completed by October 18. Katenekwa said that enough material had already been collected from the site to fill a large van. The artifacts will be distributed to museums once they have been categorized. Demolition teams are scheduled to begin dismantling the existing Musi-oa-Tunya and neighboring Rainbow Lodge hotels on November 1 to make way for the new complex. SA Express to the Rescue as Botswana Pilot Wipes out Fleet, October 17 1999 SA Express Airlines has come to the rescue of Air Botswana after a pilot on an apparent suicide mission wiped out 75% of Air Botswana's fleet at Sir Seretse Khama Airport this past week. Three of Air Botswana's four aircraft were destroyed when apparently on a suicide mission, a pilot, believed to be Captain Chris Phatshwe, who was co- ordinating the airline's safety program, took off in a 42-seater ATR aircraft without authorization and crashed into two other planes parked on the apron. He died instantly. Air Botswana GM Joshua Galeforolwe said "In the short term all passengers on the Gaborone-Johannesburg route will be handled by SA Express, so there will be minimal inconvenience to passengers. The planes were fully insured and will be replaced. Former Tanzanian President Nyerere Dies, October 17 1999 Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, one of Africa's most charismatic and influential post-colonial leaders, died of a stroke in London last Thursday at the age of 77. Nyerere stepped down as leader of his nation 14 years ago but remained one of the continent's elder statesmen up to his death and was widely revered at home and abroad. He led his country to independence from Britain in 1961 and served as president from 1962 to 1985, when he became one of the first post-colonial leaders to leave office voluntarily. Across Africa, he was best known as "Mwalimu" -- Kiswahili for "teacher." A charming man, he introduced socialist economic policies that were little short of disastrous but stayed above the Cold War rivalry of his era and led efforts to support liberation movements and build peace in Africa. Almost all Tanzanians saw him as the father of the nation, forgiving him his authoritarian streak and the radical socialist policies, including sweeping nationalization and a form of agricultural collectivization that left the country as one of the world's poorest. "Mwalimu made us equal. He united us with one language and we lived very peacefully when he was alive," said Andrew Zachariah, a young man crippled by polio. "It is true he ruined the economy, but nobody's perfect. I loved him." Tanzania's current president Benjamin Mkapa ordered 30 days of mourning and flags were lowered to half-staff. Nyerere will be flown back to Tanzania after a memorial service at London's Westminster Cathedral and he will be finally laid to rest in his home village of Butiama, in the remote Lake District of northern Tanzania. A state funeral is expected to be held in Dar es Salaam next week before Nyerere's burial. Tons of Ivory Seized at Dubai's Airport, October 17 1999 Customs officers at Dubai airport recently impounded 1,845kg (nearly 2 tons) of ivory. Namibia Denies Elephants are a Problem in Caprivi, October 17 1999 Namibia's environment and tourism ministry has dismissed reports that it has declared a group of migratory elephants as problem animals in the eastern Caprivi. The allegations started circulating earlier last week that a Namibian citizen, who was not identified, was killed by an elephant in Ngoma area, about 65 Km east of Katima Mulilo. Wandering elephants along the Chobe River, between Namibia and Botswana, were blamed for the death. According to the allegations, the huge mammals constituted a danger to people's lives, especially at night in the Ngoma, Muzii and Nakabolelwa areas. But the acting chief control warden for Caprivi district, Charles Musialike, said last Wednesday that he was only informed of a similar incident that involved the death of a Botswana citizen by an elephant on the Botswana side of the river the previous weekend. A police source in Botswana's Kasane district told the Namibian news agency that his office was aware of the incident. He, however, said the deceased was identified as an adult woman believed to be a Namibian citizen who was allegedly killed by the elephant on the Botswana side of the river. Her name was not revealed. A similar incident was reported in Katima Mulilo a month ago when a young man was killed by another elephant outside Choto compound. Zambian Capital to See Full Eclipse in June 2001, October 24 1999 Zambia’s capital Lusaka will experience the first total solar eclipse of the millennium on June 21, 2001. Zambia last experienced a total eclipse of the sun in the mid 1970s. Ruckomechi Airstrip Open, October 24 1999 The airstrip at Ruckomechi Camp in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe is now fully operational. It is 900 meters long. The airstrip can handle Cessna 206s, 210's, Caravans, Pilatuses etc - but not King Airs. As there is another airstrip in the Zambezi Valley called Ruchomeshi, the new airstrip has been named "Mana West" to avoid confusion. The new airstrip is a 10 minute drive from Ruckomechi Camp. All transfers to Ruckomechi will now be done by air Chikwenya to Remain Open Year Round, October 24 1999 Chikwenya Camp in Mana Pools will remain open through the rainy season this year. During the summer season activities will concentrate on canoeing and other Zambezi River experiences as opposed to game drives - as the black cotton soil there can at times get quite sticky. New Mombo Camp to be Built in Botswana, October 24 1999 Building of the new Mombo Camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta will commence on November 1, 1999 and is scheduled to be completed by April 1, 2000. The site for the new camp is approximately 800 meters from the existing Mombo Camp, on a beautiful island with a great view. Mombo will remain open while the new Mombo I sunder construction. The new tented camp will be raised off the ground so guests may enjoy views over the plains. There will be elevated wooden walkways that connect each guest's tent with the main living area for safety reasons. The new camp has been designed as a 24 bedded camp, and has been subdivided into a 6 bedded camp and an 18 bedded camp. "Mombo Trails" will become Little Mombo once the new camp opens. The Botswana authorities want to make sure that the low volume / high revenue policy of theirs is never compromised and only 4 vehicles will be allowed in total with a maximum of 6 guests per vehicle. Both the 6 bedded and the 18 bedded camps will have their own dining rooms, pools etc. Xigera Camp to be Rebuilt, October 24 1999 Building of the new Xigera Camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta has started. The new camp is being built on the other side of the island to where the current camp is located. Each room will have superb views over the floodplain to the east. There should be no disturbances to guests who are being accommodated in the existing camp. Construction of the new camp is expected to be completed by mid March, 2000. Air Botswana Back to Normal, October 24 1999 Following the recent incident that wiped out Air Botswana's fleet of planes (but fortunately no passengers), we are pleased to note that the airline has leased additional aircraft and are operating as per normal. Botswana Elections Peaceful, October 24 1999 Botswana has just finished their latest elections. They were once again totally peaceful. The ruling party won the majority again, so we the status quo will continue. Wilderness Safaris Cuts Back on Skeleton Coast Development Plans, October 24 1999 Wilderness Safaris have decided that they will only be building one camp on their Skeleton Coast National Park concession. This will be a 10-bedded luxury tented camp located in the center of the park in the Khumib River. The location is central enough for guests to enjoy the sand dunes, the Huarusub Canyon as well as Cape Frio. Attacks Against Tourists in Kenya Continue, October 31 1999 Kenya's tourism industry has in recent years been hit by tribal violence along the coast and a growing number of armed attacks against tourists. This past week saw two attacks against tourists in Kenya. A British couple was attacked and the woman seriously sexually assaulted during a beach holiday in Kenya earlier this week. The Kenya Tourism Federation said the assault took place in the upmarket coastal resort of Malindi. "The couple, who are in their 40s, are receiving medical treatment" the Kenya Tourism Federation said. Earlier this week six Dutch tourists were robbed within 15 minutes of arriving at Nairobi's main international airport. A group of armed men hijacked their tourist bus as it waited at an intersection on the road into the capital. Ultimate Africa Safaris continues to discourage travel to Kenya for safety reasons. Ian Proctor, managing director of Ultimate Africa said "Many potential clients have noted that we are the only safari company that discourages travel to Kenya and that we must be wrong. They don’t want to believe that tourists are really being attacked in Kenya. If Kenya offered the best safari experience in Africa we would promote Kenya. However Kenya does not provide a safe environment for tourists with armed attacks, some of which have led to death, occurring in broad daylight on a monthly basis. How many attacks must occur for people to realize that the one time safari capital of Africa, Kenya, is no longer? Does this mean that an African safari is not safe? Absolutely not! As Kenya has declined other destinations such as Botswana and Zimbabwe have taken the lead in offering tremendous African wildlife, wilderness, and cultural experiences in a safe environment." Wave of Cancellations Hitting Kenya Tourism, October 31 1999 A wave of cancellations has hit Kenya's tourism industry just as it was preparing to celebrate the millennium, officials said on Thursday. "I think we have lost over 50% of the business that was booked," the chairman of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators, Tom Fernandes, said. Tourism is Kenya's second biggest source of foreign currency but receipts have declined in recent years due to security problems, poor roads and growing competition from other countries. Mount Kenya Forest under Threat, October 31 1999 A new survey says one of Kenya's largest and most famous forests is under serious threat from illegal activities. The report released by the Kenya Wildlife Service says nearly fifteen thousand camphor and cedar trees have been cut down in the forest around Mount Kenya. The report says more than eight thousand hectares of forest have been cleared through logging, while in other parts, what was once forest has been turned into marijuana and potato fields. The Kenya Wildlife Service issued the report after carrying out a detailed survey using helicopters. The team, which carried out the survey also, said they photographed chain saw wielding men and long line of trucks transporting timber away. Logging in the forest is banned by presidential decree, but correspondents say that very little is done to enforce it. Kenya Is Tenth on the List of Shame, October 31 1999 Kenya made the World’s Most Corrupt Countries Top 10 list. The latest Transparency International (TI) report shows Kenya up two places from the 12th most corrupt country to 10th. Cameroon, Nigeria and Tanzania are listed as the most corrupt nations in Africa, all worse than Kenya , with neighboring Uganda just one point better than Kenya in 11th slot on a list of 99 countries. Denmark has maintained its first position as the most corrupt-free country, followed by Finland, New Zealand, Canada, Iceland and Singapore, in that order. Tanzanian Authorities Crackdown On Poachers, October 31 1999 Tanzanian wildlife authorities have launched a massive crackdown on poachers in Tanzania's national parks, amid reports that the country had lost 35% of its wildlife population in the past five years. A total of 4,333 arrests have been made in the sprawling Serengeti National Park, in Mara region, and northern Tanzania, in the last four years alone. The crackdown comes at a time when speculators say that the country's wildlife had plummeted tremendously. A recent report in the British newspaper, The Guardian, said that animal population in Tanzania had dropped to an "unsustainable" point. As a measure to curb the poaching menace the Tanzania National Parks Authority was enlisting the support of villagers to betray the poachers before they struck. In the Selous Game Reserve, 45 villages are now engaged in the protection of the wild animals on their land. Village scouts are assisting the Selous game authorities to combat poaching in return for an income which the villages deploy in development projects. Similar efforts are being employed by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority where poaching, especially of bushbuck and buffalo, is very rampant. Compared to the 1980s, authorities are, however, elated that elephant poaching has at least been brought under control. South Africa’s Airports Y2K Safe, October 31 1999 The South African Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company was given a 'thumbs up' for its Y2K readiness and compliance ahead of the new millennium. This followed a media demonstration last week where the company's clocks at the air traffic control tower of Johannesburg International Airport successfully continued operation over and into January 1, 2000 after being turned forward to midnight, December 31, 1999. All the company's systems - including those for navigation and communication - have been thoroughly tested and upgraded and are ready for the crossover into the next millennium. The Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company is the sole provider of South Africa's air traffic control services. Tourists Bungee from Cable Car, October 31 1999 Thrill seeking bungee jumpers will have a new high profile launchpad to hurl themselves from next week - Table Mountain's cable car. During November, for a trial period only and weather permitting, early morning bungee jumping will be offered by Face Adrenaline which operates jumps at Gouritz Bridge and Bloukrantz Bridge on the Garden Route. 90 meter jumps will take place between 6:00 AM and the first cable car ride at 7:30 AM at a cost of R550 (US $95) including a video souvenir. Second Transfrontier Park Planned, October 31 1999 Formal approval for southern Africa's second transfrontier "peace park" should be completed by March next year, following the signing of a trilateral agreement between South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in Maputo over the weekend. The agreement provides for the joint management of the Gaza conservation area in Mozambique, South Africa's Kruger National Park and the Gonarezhou Park in Zimbabwe as a single transfrontier conservation area, commonly called a peace park. Together they will form one of the world's biggest protected areas. The region's first peace park - the Kgalagdi Transfrontier Park comprising Botswana's Gemsbok National Park and South Africa's Kalahari National Park - was established earlier this year. During its current sessions, South Africa's Parliament agreed to the protocol which allows these two conservation areas to be managed as a single ecological unit, and the new Kgalagadi Park will be formally opened by the presidents of the two countries in February. In Maputo, the agreement for the second "peace park" was signed by ministers, who established a ministerial committee and technical committee comprising officials from all three countries to oversee the implementation of the agreement. Air Zimbabwe Bans Smoking on all Flights, October 31 1999 Air Zimbabwe has banned smoking on all its flights starting November 1, 1999. Before the new blanket ban, the airline allowed smoking on regional and international flights. Smoking on domestic flights was banned in 1993. Air Zimbabwe’s spokesman David Mwenga said the decision to ban smoking on all the airline’s flights was done purely on health grounds and not because of pressure from the anti-smoking lobby. "Air Zimbabwe is banning smoking on all its flights with effect from November 1. Most airlines in the world have introduced non-smoking on flights for health reasons and Air Zimbabwe was one of only two airlines in Africa that still allowed smoking on some of its flights. Our decision is purely taken on health grounds". Air Zimbabwe operates 34 flights a week to nine regional destinations and six flights a week to two European destinations. Zimbabwe Air Traffic to Double in 5 Years, October 31 1999 Zimbabwe's civil aviation authority will refurbish the country's eight major airports to pave way for the doubling of air traffic into the southern African country by 2005. Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) Chief Executive Godfrey Manhambara said construction of a new international terminal at Harare airport was 70 percent complete and on track to start operating by July 2000. The CAAZ had on Thursday embarked on a Z$2 billion (US $52.8 million) 20-month project to completely overhaul the Victoria Falls Airport. "The idea is that we want the Victoria Falls airport to be a fully fledged international airport and we would like to see people who come to southern Africa landing there as their first point of entry," Manhambara said. A 12-month, Z$120 million refurbishment of the country's third international airport in the southern city of Bulawayo would get under way in February 2000, followed by a similar project at Kariba in the north, he said. Some 24 passenger airlines, including British Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa, South African Airways, Air Zimbabwe and Kenya Airways were currently plying routes to and from Zimbabwe in addition to nine cargo airlines. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
