Victoria Falls will not dry up

THE African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) has dismissed recent media reports suggesting Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, was drying up.

BY CHARLES LAITON

ATTA chairman Ross Kennedy, in a statement yesterday, said “perhaps the October madness may have been getting the better of some of those suggesting otherwise”.

“Victoria Falls will never become ‘Victoria Walls’, as locals self-deprecatingly joke,” he said.

Kennedy said according to local river experts, the facts were that there would always be water in Victoria Falls, particularly the Zimbabwean side between the David Livingstone statue and Livingstone Island.

“Traditionally, Victoria Falls is at its driest at this time of the year, and often before the rainy season begins, the Zambian side does come close to drying up, with just a small amount of water flowing over in some places,” he said.

“This is simply because the Falls are slightly lower on the Zimbabwean side.”

Kennedy said due to exceptionally low rainfall in the catchment area during the last rainy season, the water level was at its lowest since 1996.

“The water levels will continue to drop as usual until the rains start in the catchment area north of Victoria Falls. So rest assured, Victoria Falls deservedly remains one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and nothing can change that,” he said.

Kennedy’s strong rebuttal comes amid reports that half of Victoria Falls had dried up and the falls were beginning to get parched.

Source: Victoria Falls will not dry up (15/10/15)

Government to reclaim tourism assets ransacked during LRP

Government is meant to reclaim all tourism assets that were lost during the land reform programme, Tourism and Hospitality Minister, Walter Mzembi has said.

This surfaced on Monday during the handover of the 650 vehicles which government procured for tourism development and conservation under the Indian EXIMBANK.

Zimbabwe is known for its variety of resources which include wildlife, historical and natural sites such as the Victoria Falls and the Great Zimbabwe, which have been the foundation of a thriving tourist industry. However, since the land reform programme in 2000, tourism in Zimbabwe has steadily declined.

“During the land reform programme people  in certain parts of the country, erroneously acquired tourism assets using agriculture land title.

“My Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company is designed to claim back many of these assets that have gone moribund,” said minister Mzembi.

He also blamed the land reform for dilapidating some of the tourist resorts in the country.

“The reason why Kariba is dead is because much of the land in the area was grabbed yet it is entitled to tourism.

“We wish under the Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company to warehouse these assets and leverage them as we take the next step to develop tourism in the country.

Minister Mzembi said he is compelled to redesign the face of tourism in the country.

“I’m seized with serious work on tourism master planning which is basically capturing the whole country.

“We have three designated tourism development zones, the first one being the Gwai area into Hwange, Victoria falls, lower Zambezi and Kariba.

“It will be joined by the second corridor which includes the Mutirikwi, Gonerezhou , Limpopo leading into Beitbridge and the eastern highlands as the third zone,” revealed  minister Mzembi adding that all the development zones will warehoused under Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company.

Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company is solely owned by the government and its mandate is to drive the development of tourism as well as modernising resort towns.

Source: Government to reclaim tourism assets ransacked during LRP (14/10/2015)

 

Govt to Take Back Tourism-Related Land - Mzembi

GOVERNMENT has said the special purpose vehicle - Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company - which was created by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality would be used to re-possess land that was previously used for tourism purposes but had been re-distributed for agricultural use under the land reform programme.

Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi said the correction of land use would contribute to the development on the tourism sector.

Source: Govt to Take Back Tourism-Related Land - Mzembi (13/10/2015)

Victoria Falls tourist areas exploited by local lovers

Adelaide Moyo Features Reporter

THE Big Tree, one of the best known trees in the world, found in the resort town of Victoria Falls is attracting more fornicating lovers than tourists lately.

Unusually for a Baobab Adonsonia digitata, the tree has both an impressive girth and is very tall at 22,40 metres in 2004 and 24 metres tall in 1985, according to Wikipedia. But neither the girth nor the height are of interest to lovers in the resort town. Rather they have interest in it only as a love nest.
They drive their flashy cars to the Big Tree and start exploiting each other’s bodies, giving little care to curio vendors who sell their wares to foreign tourists.

Brighton Ndlovu, a curio vendor operating near the Big Tree witnesses close to a dozen cars almost daily parked in the bush close to the iconic tree.

“Our vending zone has been invaded. It has been turned into a lovers’ nest. They openly engage in sex. We operate from this place because it’s popular with tourists who come to view the Big Tree. To our surprise we’re getting more of the sex maniacs than tourists of late. These people end up having sex in the bushy area near the Big Tree,” Ndlovu said.

His colleagues are baffled too by the motorists’ choice of a “quick sex” venue.

Business for the informal traders, has gone down lately. Ndlovu blames the sex crazy lot for repelling tourists from the Big Tree.

“Tourists have bumped into these lovers indulging in sex in their cars on so many occasions. I think the motorists prefer doing ‘it’ in the car for fear of being attacked by wild animals. They also can’t drive into secluded areas deep in the bush because there are more wild animals there. We witness most of these sex escapades when hiding from tourism police and rangers in the bush at times,” he said.

Sex in the bush or car and the decaying of morals in the resort town is giving senior citizens sleepless nights.

It has been turned into a fashion statement that is threatening to diminish Victoria Falls as a tourist destination.

Three weeks ago, residents of Victoria Falls were treated to free drama when a married man, Simba Shoko, was caught, red handed with a married woman, Faith Mathe. The two were having sex in a car parked in a bushy area near Masue Bridge.

Shoko and Mathe were arrested in exactly the same area where a Zimra boss, Jambo Nyongo, was caught naked having sex in a car with a married woman some months back.

Last month, a human resources boss from a local hotel was caught by his wife while also having a nice time with his lover at Mkhosana turn-off in the car. This followed a sad incident which cost the life of a 16-year-old Mosi-oa-Tunya High School girl two months ago. The girl’s body was found floating in the Zambezi River and her boyfriend, Brian Dube, was attacked by two assailants, Augustine Ncube and Nhlanganiso Luphahla. Dube and the girl were found picnicking near the Big Tree. The boyfriend was also beaten and left for dead and only managed to make a report to the police with the help of some tourists who later picked him up.

Ncube and Luphahla have since been arrested and are awaiting trial in Hwange.

Victoria Falls is well known to the world as a majestic tourist destination because of its scenic environs and state of the art hotel and lodge facilities as well as tour services. The mighty Victoria Falls, known as Mosi-oa-Tunya (The smoke that thunders) in local language, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Its waters fall 108 metres down while the Rainforest presents visitors with a rare treat of a natural equatorial habitat far away from the equator itself.

Most locals, it seems, have little appreciation of the scenic environs of their town.

They have turned sex into some form of recreation.

“Having sex in the bush doesn’t help give our town a good image. If these people were genuine couples they would make love in their houses. The fact that they prefer the bush shows how wrong the whole thing is. I think it’s best we respect our town as a tourist attraction. People come here from all over the world to view the beauty of the town, not a defiled resort,” said Musa Moyo of Mkhosana suburb.

Nkosilathi Dube, a resident, said people preferred the “safe haven” of the bush because of lack of privacy at most lodges in the resort town.

He noted that most people in Victoria Falls knew each other, hence their preference for the bush.
“I’m against such immoral behaviour but if people have to do it, they should book in lodges for their romping,” said Dube.

Residents want every person to work towards sprucing up the image of Victoria Falls.

They said “sex in the bush” frustrated efforts to market the town as a tourist destination of choice.
Tourism is the mainstay of the resort town’s economy.

Those who indulge in adulterous relationships fear the walls of hotels and lodges which they feel offer little or no privacy.

Khanondo Safaris and Tours manager, Ben Tessa, said people valued safety above everything else.
“It’s not that people can’t afford to book in a lodge. Some lodges charge ridiculously low prices for a room but people feel comfortable using the bush because they feel it’s safer there.

“This happens in almost all towns. Lovers drive to secluded places for sex but in the case of Victoria Falls, it’s different because it’s a small town as every incident gets to be known. If you book into a certain lodge with your lover, by the end of the day it will be known not because there is no more confidentiality by hotel staff but because everyone’s face is familiar and word spreads fast,” Tessa said.

The headmaster of Mosi-oa-Tunya High School, Rowland Sibanda, blamed such behaviour partly on the lack of mainstream entertainment for youths in the resort town.

He described such behaviour as disgusting to the community.

“I’m worried by an increase in the number of pupils who unashamedly engage in premarital sex especially with men older than them. As a leader who works with children I really don’t tolerate such behaviour. It’s our duty and responsibility as parents and teachers to come up with strategies to control such behaviour.

“The problem is there are no leisure centres like parks, play centres, libraries or community projects for youths in this town. As a result, youths end up visiting adult places of entertainment resulting in them partaking in activities meant for adults,” observed Sibanda.

He implored the local authority to come up with child-friendly budgets that promote the development of entertainment areas for children.

“This will help keep juveniles away from crime and other vices as well as enhance their chances to have a bright future,” said Sibanda.

Residents also blame long distance truck drivers who camp in the resort town’s Truck Stop for days waiting to be cleared at the border.

They suspect the truck drivers are one of the key contributors to the rise of HIV and Aids.

Victoria Falls Residents Association chairman, Morgan Dube, said casual sex in the bush was causing the disintegration of families.

“The culprits should be ashamed of such behaviour. Residents who engage in such activities should stop because many marriages are falling apart. We condemn such practices in the community and we call upon law enforcement agents to help us end such acts,” Dube said.

He recommended the enforcement of stringent laws by authorities forbidding sex in places of interest like the Big Tree.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management area manager in charge of Zambezi National Park, Edmore Ngosi, said they work hand in hand with the police in enforcing laws.

“We don’t allow people to stray into the forest and if we find anyone doing such things we don’t hesitate to arrest them and hand them over to the police,” he said.

Zambezi National Park encompasses Victoria Falls town.

Source: Vic Falls’ sex haven (12/10/15)

Zimbabwe game park staff arrested over ivory theft

HARARE (AFP) - Three staff members at Zimbabwe s biggest game park have been arrested on suspicion of stealing ivory, officials said Wednesday, highlighting fears that wildlife smuggling is sometimes an "insider job".

Ecologist Edwin Makuwe and game rangers Masimba Nyoni and John Pedzi were arrested on allegations of stealing ivory that was recovered at Harare international airport.

"The offence was discovered during X-ray scanning," Caroline Washaya, spokeswoman for the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, told AFP.

"The Authority wants to ensure that poaching and illegal smuggling of wildlife and wildlife products is under control."

The three were due to appear in court on Wednesday.

Police, security guards and rangers have often been reported to be involved in poaching in Africa.

Last year, an entire police unit in Mozambique was restructured due to its involvement in poaching, according to the WWF.

Also last year, a former field ranger and two South African police officers were arrested in Kruger National Park over the poaching of a black rhinoceros.

The latest arrests in Zimbabwe follow the deaths from cyanide poisoning of 14 elephants in separate incidents in Hwange park and the resort town of Kariba last month.

Five men have been arrested on charges of poisoning 11 of the elephants in Hwange.

Source: Zimbabwe game park staffers arrested over ivory theft (07/10/15)

Victoria Falls hotels fully booked ahead of Zanu-PF Conference

Hotels and lodges in Victoria Falls are fully booked for December ahead of the 15th Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference set for the resort town that month. More than 6,000 delegates are expected to attend the conference and operators are gearing up for brisk business.

In an interview, Hotels Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) chairperson Trythings Mutyandasvika, said the tourism sector was excited with the coming of the ruling party summit to the resort town as it will bring business for them.


He said the conferences are a boon as they help hotels and lodges to get exposure.
"When you host such big conferences, it's very beneficial as it markets us as a country and corrects some misconceptions people have about us as a country and a tourist destination.


"We tend to receive a lot of bookings afterwards because tourists will be aware of the country's capacity to offer the best service and we're exposing ourselves as a safe destination to the whole world," Mutyandasvika said.


Employers Association of Tourism Operators president Clement Mukwasi said tour operators are geared for brisk business during the conference period.


"This is a great opportunity for us as a town. We know that everyone who will be attending the conference would want to visit the Victoria Falls and that would greatly increase numbers in our business," Mukwasi said.


"We're always known for being a peaceful country and Victoria Falls on its own exhibits this quality which is why we host such big and numerous conferences. This is a great opportunity for us as a country as we'll attract more and more tourists," he said.


He said some provincial delegates to the conference had failed to secure accommodation due to late booking and would be forced to seek accommodation in residential areas. 


"For that period, all our hotels and lodges are fully booked and that's a good thing for us as a town and the country. This is one of the best things that has happened to us as a town because the government is giving us a vote of confidence to host numerous conferences," he said.

Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Sifiso Mpofu said the Zanu-PF conference puts the tourist destination on the world map which he said was good for boosting tourism in the country.

Source: Victoria Falls hotels fully booked ahead of Zanu-PF Conference (06/10/15)

Victoria Falls' sex tourism increasingly becoming popular

WHEN some foreign tourists think of the Victoria Falls, the first thing that comes to their minds is the scenic spectacle of the majestic sheet of falling water, the largest in the world. But not every foreign visitor sets out to see the waterfall. A growing number of European women and Americans make a stopover with one singular mission in their minds - to engage in sex with Zimbabwe's black men.

In other words, female sex tourism is gradually taking root in Zimbabwe with Victoria Falls being the capital city. 

They fall into three categories; Traditional sex tourists, who have similar characteristics and motives as male sex tourists, Situational sex tourists, who do not intentionally put themselves in a sex tourist position, but find themselves involved in a sexual encounter with local men. Situational sex tourists may fall into the category of either being businesswomen, students, and women in overseas conferences or other women who have different agendas that are non-sexual. Romance tourists, who plan to fulfil their travel with romantic experiences that they cannot experience in their native country.

Most of the female sex tourists who visit Zimbabwe fall into the last category. According to sex tourism researchers, the majority of these women are white, middle-aged or older and often have a history of unhappy relationships with men at home.

Others are in healthy relationships and are attracted by the thrill of indulging in sex with African men.

Female sex tourism is not a new phenomenon in Africa, but many Zimbabweans are unaware that Victoria Falls is increasingly becoming one of the popular destinations for foreign white women who want to engage in sex with African men.

"Some of the white women come here just to engage in sex with black men that they meet in hotels, restaurants and clubs. And most of them are successful as only a few men can resist sex. In any case, most black men have dreams of sleeping with a white woman," said a Victoria Falls hotel employee.

In an interview, a tour guide confirmed that Victoria Falls receives its fair share of female sex tourists. He revealed that most of them are intrigued by stereotypical beliefs that black African males are blessed with unparalleled sexual prowess and that they are gifted below the belt.

He said: "I once asked one white woman why she doesn't target black men in her country and she told me that she wants a pure black man who is in touch with his African roots and she doesn't want her friends and relatives to know that she is into black men because they wouldn't approve."

The tour guide added that some female sex tourists do it because it makes them feel dominant. They achieve this dominance by using money.

A taxi driver disclosed that female sex tourism in Victoria Falls is done covertly because of the stigma that would follow if it becomes known that the men sell sex to female sex tourists.
"Most of the women I have seen with our brothers are ugly and fat and most of the men are younger than the women so it's obvious that the men are attracted by the money that these women have. The other noticeable thing is that most of the men I have seen will be spotting dreadlocks."

This perception is supported by a University of Illinois report which stated that some women who engaged in risky sexual behaviour while travelling said that "they felt freed from sexual double standards at home", and hoped to "feel like a man" by having a one-night stand - no strings attached sex.

A female tourist from England, who identified herself as Leeshel, confirmed that some female tourists come to Africa and in this case, Zimbabwe, just for sex.

"I am not into that but I have friends and relatives who want to engage in sex in every country they visit. I don't see anything wrong with that because they are adults, they can act anyway they want. I don't judge but I don't do that because I am afraid of Aids," Leeshel said.

Leeshel let slip that her friends, who are into sex tourism, told her that it is easier to get men in Zimbabwe because most of the men are literate.

"In other African countries the language barrier poses a problem but here everyone speaks passable English. That makes flirting easy and the women avoid that awkward moment when they have to use gestures to show the men that they want to spend time with them," she said.

Leeshel added that female sex tourists are aware that they have to shower the African men with money and gifts in order to get the happy ending they desire.

"Most of my friends want to feel special and they see Africa as a romantic get-away but the African men see the relationship as a commercial exchange. They (female sex tourists) are aware that they are being used for money but it's a quid pro quo arrangement because they get the attention and sex they crave in return.

"But it's not like they come here and say to the men 'hey, come here I have money, let's engage in sex.' They are savvier than that. They are aware that the exchange of money makes it prostitution and it (prostitution) is illegal here. So they have to be careful and selective," she said.

Kenyan academic and author of Sex Tourism in Africa, Kenya's Booming Industry, Dr Wanjohi Kibicho cements Leeshel's suggestion that most female sex tourists use sex as a way to feel special.

"These women are lonely. Among all the women I talked to, there is an impression of something lacking at home, like their needs are not being met - not only sexual, but also psychological and emotional support," said Dr Kibicho.

According to Wikipedia, female sex tourists are classified as women from a developed country, who travel to less developed countries in search of romance or sexual outlets.
According to people in the tourism sector, the sex seeking white women are well and truly on the prowl for African men, even though they are a little less obvious about it. The women can be seen flirting with Zimbabwean men (although most times it's covertly), often ending in the formation of temporary relationships.

Source: Victoria Falls' sex tourism increasingly becoming popular (04/10/15)