Vic Falls thunders: Tourists flock despite misleading reports

 VICTORIA Falls, the thunderous heart of Zimbabwe, pulsated with life as the festive season unfolded.

Despite persistent rumours of the majestic falls drying up, tourists from across the globe, along with a wave of returning locals, flocked to witness its awe-inspiring beauty.

The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry anticipated a record-breaking year, with visitor numbers expected to surge close to three million, fuelled largely by the homecoming of Zimbabweans from the Diaspora.

From adrenaline-pumping adventures like bungee jumping, gorge swings, and the Flight of Angels, to serene game drives, wildlife interactions, tours of the Falls, and tranquil moments surrounded by breath-taking beauty—these have been the experiences of tourists this festive season.

Tourists enjoyed an array of experiences, from bungee jumping and gorge swings to the thrilling “Flight of Angels” helicopter ride.

Others took in game drives, interacted with wildlife, or simply marvelled at the magnificent waterfalls.

Victoria Falls delivered something for everyone – whether it was adrenaline or relaxation.

Victoria Falls proved once more why it remains a top destination for holidaymakers seeking both relaxation and adventure.

The resort city welcomed a mix of visitors including groups, families, schools, and individuals.

Home to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, known locally as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” (The Smoke That Thunders), Victoria Falls boasts unparalleled natural beauty, wildlife, and adventure opportunities.

In recent months, misleading reports have circulated, claiming the waterfall is drying up.

However, these claims don’t reflect the true picture.

The Zambezi River, which feeds the Victoria Falls, experiences seasonal fluctuations and while water levels are lower between October and January, this is completely natural.

According to the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), water levels are expected to rise again in February, bringing the Victoria Falls back to its thunderous grandeur just in time for the rainy season.

Though water levels were lower this season due to the effects of climate change and El Niño, Victoria Falls remained a vibrant, thriving destination.

Despite recent negative publicity suggesting that the Falls are dry, these claims are misleading, considering the Zambezi River’s seasonal flow patterns and the influx of tourists.

Visitors were undeterred by the reduced flow, continuing to flock to the area to enjoy the lush landscapes, abundant wildlife, and thrilling experiences.

Victoria Falls continues to draw visitors year-round, offering unforgettable experiences that highlight its enduring magnificence.

According to the ZRA, the amount of water falling down Victoria Falls is low between October and January as part of its natural cycle.

The Zambezi River, Africa’s fourth-longest, flows through Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Victoria Falls, the world’s largest curtain of falling water, sees its flow down the waterfall dip below 1,000 cubic metres per second during the dry season extending between October and January, with levels expected to rise again by late February.

The worst seasons were 2016-2017 and 2023-2024 as a result of the devastating climate change and El Niño-induced drought, with this year’s levels in the same range.

The 2008-2009 season had the highest low levels compared to other years during the period October to January.

Water levels are expected to pick up next month and reach a peak at the end of February when the river will be full until May when it will start falling again.

The long-term mean was highest in the 1961-1962 rainy season when water flowing down the waterfall between March and May reached a peak of more than 8,000 cubic metres per second.

Every year there is less than 1,000 cubic metres per second of water falling the between October and December.

Current water levels on the Zambezi River are 475,83 metres compared to 477,16 metres last year during the same period, according to the ZRA.

The dry season, which occurs annually, is a natural part of the Victoria Falls’ seasonal cycle which tourists flock to witness while enjoying the lush green landscapes and abundant wildlife within the Victoria Falls National Park.

During the rainy season, the waterfall returns to its thundering grandeur, with its mist visible from miles away—an experience that continues to leave visitors in awe.

Despite these natural fluctuations and the misleading reports, Victoria Falls remains a bustling hub of activity.

Visitors have not been deterred as hotels and lodges on either side of the river reported steady bookings, and tour operators were busier than ever, showing that the destination offers much more than just its water levels.

Ephias Mambume, president of the Employers Association for the Tourism and Safari Operators, highlighted the surge in local and regional tourists during the festive season.

“We have experienced a healthy percentage around 80 to 90 percent occupancy,” he said, noting significant bookings in AirBnBs and a bustling rainforest area with regional visitors.

Popular activities included sunset cruises and tours of the Victoria Falls, with operators fully booked, said Mr Mambume.

He implored the Government to urgently rehabilitate the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road for seamless travel.

Elephant and Cheetah Experience marketing manager Janice Ncube noted that the majority of clients this season were locals eager to interact and walk with cheetahs and elephants.

“The local market has been awesome. If it wasn’t for the local market, December would be a low season for us,” she said.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi, who spent nearly a week in Victoria Falls until Christmas Eve, affirmed that the influx of visitors was a result of vigorous marketing and President Mnangagwa’s policy of engagement and re-engagement.

“It shows that people love Zimbabwe and they have been waiting to hear what’s good about Zimbabwe.

“The foreign policy that President Mnangagwa has been running with for the past seven years, ‘Zimbabwe is Open to Business,’ is paying dividends,” she said.

The festive season’s vibrancy in Victoria Falls demonstrated the destination’s resilience and enduring appeal, ensuring it remains a top choice for holidaymakers from around the globe.

Source: Vic Falls thunders: Tourists flock despite misleading reports (28/12/2024)

Victoria Falls City Council development 'masterplan' aims to annex conservation areas for development

(Keep Victoria Falls Wild, December 2024)

Victoria Falls City Council development 'masterplan' aims to annex conservation areas for development while claims of corruption raise concerns over process

In October 2024, following stakeholder consultations held in April (VFCC, April 2024), Victoria Falls City Council released details of the proposed new development 'masterplan' for the future expansion and growth of the urban settlement.

"The Victoria Falls City Council, hereby gives notice, in terms of subsection (2) of section 15 of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act, Chapter 29: 12, as read with section 8 of the Regional, Town and Country Planning (Master and Local Plans) Regulations (RGN 248 of 1977), that the Draft Victoria Falls Master Plan has been Adopted and is now on public exhibition commencing 17th October 2024 and ending 16th December 2024." (VFCC, October 2024)

In November the Draft Plan and supporting documents and maps were made available to download online on the Council's website (VFCC, November 2024).

- Victoria Falls Master Plan - Draft Report of Study (April 2024)

- Victoria Falls Master Plan - Draft Written Statement (July 2024)

- Victoria Falls Master Plan - Main Map (Preferred Option)

- Victoria Falls Master Plan - Supporting Map (insert section)

In media reports Victoria Falls town planner, Ms Ntombizami Ncube, stated

"Our masterplan is now a public exhibition. We have already advertised two issues and we are waiting for the third issue... The masterplan will be on public exhibition for the next two months and we request all stakeholders to visit the Victoria Falls Town Planning offices or our website, all the documents are there for viewing. Issues that came out was the need to balance conservation of nature and development planning needs. We would want to expand, we don’t want to encroach into any restricted zones, especially the World Heritage Site, we are not touching." (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, November 2024)

The Draft Plan proposes to significantly expand the area controlled under the Council from just 22 square km to over 244 square km, including the Victoria Falls National Park and a section of the Zambezi National Park, the Masuwe Special Economic Zone, Nakavango Forest and Fuller Forest areas, all previously protected for conservation (see map below - click to download larger jpg file). The proposal includes the identification of some 12 square km of land protected under the Zambezi National Park for development as part of the Council controlled 'land grab'.

It is unclear why the expanded Council controlled area is proposed to cover the Victoria Falls National Park and a significant section of the Zambezi National Park, beyond that identified for development, and the supporting Plan documents make no reference to this significant expansion into National Park protected areas. These two National Parks are currently under the exclusive responsibility of the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority. It is also unclear why such a substantial area of Forestry controlled land to the south of the City is proposed to be included within the new expanded Council controlled area.

The plan offers no trade-off for the loss of the previously protected area of the Zambezi National Park to development expansion. We believe consideration should be given of returning the northern un-developed half of the existing Council controlled area (outlined in white, below) to National Park control, with the tourism concessions within this area also to be transferred to the management of the Park Authority. This area is an important wildlife corridor allowing access to the river above the Falls for elephant, buffalo and other species and was, until the mid-1970s protected as part of the greater Victoria Falls National Park. It is also essential to the integrity of the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site which covers the river corridor above and below the Falls. No new development, or expansion of existing developments, should be allowed in this area and the long term aim should be to return as much of this area to nature as possible.

The Plan presents no forecasts or modelling estimates of the projected growth in tourism capacity, which will see increasing peak-season tourist visitor pressures at the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site, while the strong seasonality of tourism to the Falls will see hotels and lodges empty for half the year and promised employment opportunities limited to short-term seasonal contracts.

Meanwhile the claims of corruption which surround Victoria Falls Town Clerk, Mr Ronnie Dube, and who has overseen the development of the Plan, raise serious doubts over the integrity of the Master Plan process (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, December 2024a). The apparent extension of his term of office beyond the maximum two four-year periods is un-procedural and raises yet further questions (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, June 2024), as does his reinstatement by a Government Minister following his suspension pending investigation into the significant and serious corruption claims (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, December 2024b).

Map showing proposed expansion of Victoria Falls City Council controlled area, annotated to highlight current area under Council control (white), the area proposed to be annexed from Zambezi National Park (red) and Masuwe Development Zone (purple). Click image for larger (un-annotated) jpg version - 5.37mb. The map clearly shows the Victoria Falls National Park as within proposed new Council Controlled area.

Map showing proposed enlarged section of central Victoria Falls City Council controlled area (click image for larger jpg version - 1.15mb).

References

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (June 2024) Pushback as Victoria Falls council boss clings to power. 15th June.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (November 2024) Victoria Falls masterplan open to scrutiny.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (December 2024a) Corruption and abuse of office: Victoria Falls Town Clerk and 2024 CEO of the year suspended. 5th December.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (December 2024b) Government reverses ‘unprocedural suspension’ of Victoria Falls Town Clerk Ronnie Dube. 8th December.

Victoria Falls City Council (April 2024) City Master Plan: Shaping the Future of Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls City Council (October 2024) Notice of Draft Master Plan on Public Exhibition.

NRZ to dispose of scrap wagons, coaches

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has announced plans to dispose of 422 scrap wagons and some decades-old passenger coaches in Bulawayo, Harare and other locations across the country.

The disposal process will include various metals such as copper, steel, cast iron and aluminium, which will be sold through a tender system advertised in the media this week.

NRZ public relations manager, Mr Andrew Kunambura, said 51 decommissioned passenger coaches that were burnt to shells in a raging fire that razed part of the Bulawayo mechanical workshop will not be part of the scrap to be auctioned.

“We are not disposing of any of the decommissioned coaches that were burnt in September 2024. The reason why the NRZ is disposing of some of the old wagons and coaches as scrap is because the property has outlived its life span and can no longer be used commercially,” he said.

“The value of the old wagons and coaches is now only in scrap form.”

Mr Kunambura said the parastatal does not dispose of any of its property that is still commercially usable. In September, a fire broke out at the NRZ’s Bulawayo mechanical workshop and destroyed 51 decommissioned passenger coaches.

The decommissioned passenger coaches were reduced to shells in a suspected veld fire, which took the Bulawayo Fire Brigade over four hours to extinguish.

Part of the property that will be sold as scrap metal by NRZ includes 346 scrap wagons stationed in various locations around the country.

In Bulawayo and Harare, 76 scrap coaches and cabooses will be disposed of. At the Bulawayo mechanical workshop, 244 tonnes of ungraded steel will be sold while five LPG tankers in Zvishavane, Kadoma, Chegutu, Norton and Harare are set to be auctioned.

About 309 tonnes of graded steel will be sold in Bulawayo while 27 wagons will be sold in Dabuka, Gweru. The NRZ also plans to get rid of 1,58 tonnes of copper from its Bulawayo main stores depot while property such as coach generators and coach rotors from the Bulawayo mechanical workshop will be sold in addition to aluminium weighing three tonnes and two tonnes of cast iron from the same site will be disposed of.

Source: NRZ to dispose of scrap wagons, coaches (17/12/24)

Vic Falls still pulling tourists despite the drought (Zambia)

 (December 2024)

Despite the negative impact of climate change on the Victoria Falls in Livingstone, the world heritage site recorded an increase in visitations in the first  three quarters of this year compared to last year.

Tourism Minister RODNEY SIKUMBA told ZNBC News that 80,000 visitations were recorded by the third quarter of this compared to the 57,000 visitations recorded the same period last year.

Mr SIKUMBA said by end of the third quarter, the country recorded 1.7 million tourist visitations.

He said despite challenges occasioned by the drought, Zambia has continued to host important conferences and meetings which contribute positively to the country’s tourism.

Source: Vic Falls still pulling tourists despite the drought (17/12/24)

Government reverses 'unprocedural suspension' of Victoria Falls Town Clerk Ronnie Dube

THE Minister of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe has ordered Victoria Falls City Council Mayor Councillor Prince Thuso Moyo to reverse the suspension of Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube with immediate effect.

The minister said the suspension was unprocedural.

Mr Dube was suspended on Monday last week on allegations of corruption and abuse of office, and councillors endorsed the suspension in a full council meeting the following day.

The City’s Mayor Cllr Thuso Moyo suspended Mr Dube through a letter dated December 2, 2024 and said he suspension was in terms of Section 29: (3) of the Urban Councils Act.

The letter was addressed to other councillors, District Development Coordinator’s office and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.

It was meant to be for 14 days after which a decision was to be made based on findings of investigations into the allegations, Cllr Moyo had said.

The Mayor said he had received several complaints and allegations of abuse of office and corruption against Mr Dube about illegal allocation of land.

In a letter dated December 6, 2024 and addressed to the Mayor, Local Government and Public Works Minister Garwe said the suspension was not supported by any council policy and resolution in the interest of ratepayers.

The Minister ordered that the suspension be rescinded immediately.

“It has come to my attention that you suspended the Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube on 2 December 2024. On 3 December 2024 council convened a special full council meeting for ratification of the Town Clerk’s suspension.

“I have noted that the resolution which council made is not in line with Section 139 (4) of the Urban Councils Act by constituting two bodies of inquirywhich will financially prejudice council. The decision to pay the suspended Town Clerk allowances is also not supported by any council policy. I am therefore of the view that the resolution of Council is not in the interest of the inhabitants of the council area considered and or public interest who are the taxpayers of council,” said Minister Garwe.

He ordered a reversal of the suspension.

“With immediate effect i hereby in terms of Section 314 of the Urban Councils Act direct council to rescind the resolution made on 3 December regarding suspension of the Town Clerk,” said the Minister.

The issue has literally divided the local authority with a section of residents calling for action while others are concerned about interference into council operations by some residents.

Source: Government reverses 'unprocedural suspension' of Victoria Falls Town Clerk Ronnie Dube (07/12/24)

Read more: Corruption and abuse of office: Victoria Falls Town Clerk and 2024 CEO of the year suspended (04/12/24) 

Stands corruption storm in Victoria Falls (11/06/22)

Corruption and abuse of office: Victoria Falls Town Clerk and 2024 CEO of the year suspended

(Zimbabwe, December 2024) VICTORIA Falls City Council Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube has been suspended on allegations of corruption and abuse of office.

The city’s councillors have endorsed the suspension in a full council meeting.

Victoria Falls mayor Cllr Prince Thuso Moyo suspended Mr Dube through a letter dated December 2, 2024.

He said the suspension was in terms of Section 29: (3) of the Urban Councils Act.

Mr Dube will be on suspension and barred from accessing his office or visiting the council offices for 14 days pending investigations, after which a decision will be made.

“In my capacity as the Mayor, I have received several complaints and allegations of abuse of office and corruption against yourself, particular I; It is alleged that you allocated or caused to be allocated stand 9615 to Priscila Thabolo and stand 9945 to Portia Salitsozo without following council procedure.

“It is alleged that you awarded a contract to Cascade Engineering Consultants for overseeing contract management without following the tender procedure, and it is alleged that you sold and transferred stand 1629 Chinotimba and council did not receive payment for the same, and the sale was not procedurally done. As a result of the above allegations among others, I hereby suspend you with immediate effect. You are required to leave council offices forthwith. Council will notify you of the way forward,” said Cllr Moyo.

The suspension letter was addressed to other councillors, the district Development Coordinator’s office and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.

Speaking after the full council meeting, Cllr Moyo said the suspension was for two weeks and had been communicated to the Gothe government.

He said the council adopted the suspension.

“The investigations are going on, and the council accepted the suspension, but for now, we stick to that. We have communicated to the Ministry and we will communicate on the resolutions that we made today,” said the mayor.

He could not shed more light on the specific charges.

The allegations border around the unprocedural allocation of some stands as the council rolled out a housing scheme recently.

Source: Corruption and abuse of office: Victoria Falls Town Clerk and 2024 CEO of the year suspended (04/12/24)

Read more: Stands corruption storm in Victoria Falls (11/06/22)

Multi-million-dollar scandal rocks Victoria Falls council

 The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has uncovered a massive corruption scandal involving high-ranking officials at Victoria Falls City Council, including Mayor Tuso Moyo and Town Clerk Ronnie Dube. The investigation, which reveals illegal land deals and fraudulent tenders, has sent shockwaves through the city.

The investigation, disclosed in a ZACC report dated November 4, 2024, suggests that both Moyo and Dube, along with several senior council employees, were engaged in a scheme to illegally allocate land for personal and political gain. According to ZACC intelligence officer B Mapfumo, the council has been operating outside its governing laws and regulations, with corruption rampant at multiple levels.

The scandal allegedly involves a syndicate of councillors and senior employees who orchestrated the illegal distribution of land. One key example is the controversial sale of Stand 8300, where Dube allegedly manipulated the evaluation process to favor Zambezi Properties, a shelf company formed specifically for this transaction. The company was registered on September 15, 2021, well after the council had called for tenders for the stand, raising suspicions of corruption.

Dube is further accused of creating a fraudulent list of names for residential stands, which he allegedly issued to himself, the mayor, and other officials under the pretext of "discretionary allocations." The mayor, Moyo, reportedly received 12 stands, while Dube allegedly took 15 stands. Additionally, some individuals were required to pay Dube's wife to secure eligibility for these plots.

The investigation also uncovered corruption related to a US$4.8 million tender awarded to Highshot Engineering (Pvt) Ltd for road, sewerage, and water reticulation works on the BE100 housing scheme. This tender was allegedly awarded without following proper procurement procedures, and the project was overseen by CCE (Pvt) Ltd, a company that was brought in without proper consultation. A payment of US$157,401 was made to CCE (Pvt) Ltd on the instruction of Dube, further highlighting the scale of the alleged corruption.

Mayor Tuso Moyo has since taken action by suspending Ronnie Dube from his position as town clerk over the allegations. In a letter dated December 2, 2024, Moyo cited multiple complaints of abuse of office and corruption as the reason for Dube's suspension, stating that the town clerk was required to leave council offices immediately.

Despite efforts to reach both Moyo and Dube for comment, neither official was available, with their mobile phones not being answered. ZACC spokesperson Simiso Mlevu also did not respond to inquiries regarding the investigation.

The report, which was sent directly to ZACC's investigative unit, sheds light on the deep-rooted corruption within the Victoria Falls City Council and underscores the urgent need for accountability in local government operations. As the investigation continues, further revelations are expected, with ZACC urging the public to assist in identifying and prosecuting those involved in the scandal.

Source:Multi-million-dollar scandal rocks Victoria Falls council (04/12/2024)