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)

Zambezi River Authority updates Batoka project feasibility studies

 Leonard Ncube, leonard.ncube@chronicle.co.zw

THE Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has said it is in the process of updating environmental engineering and hydrological studies for the Batoka Gorge Hydro-Power Project (BGHPP) which should be completed next year before a new developer is engaged for the implementation of the project.

Zimbabwe and Zambia are implementing the hydro-power project in the gorges along the Zambezi River where two 1 200MW power plants on either side of the river, a sub-station, transmission as well as a new settlement and road infrastructure will be built.

BGHPP is one of the mega projects in Matabeleland North Province and its completion is expected to enhance electricity availability in the country and region. It will also present a good investment opportunity for the private sector in the value chain.

ZRA, a company jointly established by both countries to manage water projects in the Zambezi River, is working on the project whose initial cost was US$5 billion.

The proposed project is set to transform Matabeleland North and Zambian communities on the other side of the river, with facilities such as banks, shops, private offices and other ancillary infrastructure set to be constructed.

In 2018, Zimbabwe and Zambia agreed to build the hydroelectric scheme, and the project was expected to provide about a third of Zimbabwe and Zambia’s power requirements.

Located about 50km downstream from Victoria Falls City, the massive project has been touted as a flagship project in the southern African region. A consortium of Power Construction Corporation of China and US firm General Electric had won a bid to build the 2 400MW hydropower station under a build, operate and transfer funding model before disengagement this year.

Although the idea to build a dam at the Batoka Gorge was mooted in the 1990s, it has been in limbo for decades until it was revived following the advent of the Second Republic.

However, because of challenges associated with funding and other issues, the implementation took long until studies were overtaken by time.

Updating renewable energy experts at the Zimbabwe-Zambia Energy Projects Summit 2024, ZRA director for projects and dam management services, Engineer Sithembinkosi Mhlanga said the authority is updating the feasibility studies.

The project status was topical in the discussions as energy experts said delays in its implementation were a cause for concern.

Eng Mhlanga said engineering feasibility studies were completed in 2019 while the Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was done in 2022 which could have paved the way for implementation.

“The project is at a position where we are updating studies. We are at a time when this project needs to have studies updated so that they are relevant for the actual implementation.

For updates of studies, we are looking at a few activities particularly engineering feasibility, which is updating the assessment of hydrological data because 2 400MW was considered as design capacity for a certain scenario of operation,” he said.

The budget for Batoka had been put during the earlier studies at a range of between US$4 billion and US$5 billion.

“It’s expected that when we undertake these studies there will be a reviewed assessment of the cost which again will get refined by the developer in terms of development cost. So we remain with the figure of US$5 billion but to be fine-tuned through studies and developers submissions,” said Eng Mhlanga.

He said they are looking forward to finishing their studies in 2025 and then starting the process of procuring a developer.

“This process should end in 2026 in terms of pre-qualification and shortlisting leading to bidding and financial close probably in 2027,” said Eng Mhlanga.

He said, among other challenges, delays were caused by the time it took to disengage with the previous developer.

“The period of implementation will take between four and five years, but these are some of the details that will be finalised once a new developer is engaged. The project intends not to displace people but instead will generate direct employment for over 4 000 people and 6 000 in the two countries,” said Eng Mhlanga.

He said there is also a need to undertake studies on the impact of the Batoka Gorge on Victoria Falls’ outstanding universal value and sustainability, to conserve the total value of the World Heritage Site.

“We parted with the previous developer and we then got into these activities now we are entering into partnerships with specific key partners like the African Development Bank and African Legal Support Facility. We are looking at completing our studies in 2025 and then proceeding,” he said.

The coming in of Batoka City will be a big boost for the broader Matabeleland North development, which has in the recent past become an economic epicentre following the designation of Victoria Falls as a special economic zone (SEZ) and the elevation of the tourism town to a city. — @ncubeleon

Source: Zambezi River Authority updates Batoka project feasibility studies (21/11/24)

Victoria Falls to get two new upmarket hotels

 Zimbabwe's premier tourist destination, Victoria Falls, is set to see the construction of two luxury hotels, valued at a combined US$114.3 million, which will significantly boost the city's hospitality offerings. According to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), the new developments include a US$49 million four-star hotel and a US$65.3 million five-star resort, projects expected to attract both high-end tourists and investors.

The four-star hotel, part of the Mosi oa Tunya Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), will be the first to list on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX). The property will occupy a 5.61-hectare site, offering 180 rooms, including 60 executive suites, six twin suites, deluxe restaurants, a conference center, an infinity pool, and a wildlife watering hole. The construction is anticipated to begin by the end of this year and be completed by late 2026, ZIDA stated. The promoters have already secured 51% of the funding and are actively seeking the remaining US$24 million through equity and debt financing.

"Cresta Hotels will manage the property, which is projected to yield an internal rate of return (IRR) of 16.3%. The location, coupled with the REIT listing on VFEX, makes this an attractive investment with flexibility for investors to exit via VFEX REIT units," ZIDA noted in its prospectus.

The more expansive US$65.3 million Victoria Falls Resort & Spa will be constructed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between Victoria Falls City and Lamcent Capital, a private Zimbabwean company. The resort will sit along the Zambezi River and offer 160 rooms in a recently constructed, five-star facility. With a 500-year concession period, the resort is poised to become a prominent player in the local tourism industry, rivalling Zambia's Radisson Blu in Livingstone.

To date, the project has secured US$6.8 million, with promoters seeking an additional US$56 million in capital. The Victoria Falls Resort & Spa has an IRR of 12.4%, a net present value (NPV) of US$13.6 million, and a payback period of 12 years, making it a compelling long-term investment, ZIDA added.

With Cabinet approval and asset status from the Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC), the project is set to appeal to pension funds, as investors will have a voice in the board's decision-making. The project also includes buyback assurances, with promoters offering to repurchase up to 25% of investors' equity upon exit.

Tourism, a priority growth sector in Zimbabwe, is expected to drive economic transformation under the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy, which aims to expand the tourism economy to US$5 billion by 2025. The two hotels align with this strategy and are expected to help Victoria Falls meet the demand for luxury accommodations while enhancing Zimbabwe's status as a top-tier global tourism destination.

Source: Victoria Falls to get two new upmarket hotels (08/11/24)

Victoria Falls masterplan open to scrutiny

VICTORIA Falls City Council has completed the crafting of a new masterplan and opened it for scrutiny with priority being put on balancing conservation and infrastructure development.

The move buttresses President Mnangagwa’s launch of the “Call to Action — No Compromise to Service Delivery” blueprint, which provides guidelines for local authorities to ensure they provide efficient services that are in line with Vision 2030.

In the “Call to Action,” the President chairs a bi-annual review meeting to assess the performance of all local authorities in a move aimed at improving service delivery in towns and cities.

All local authorities are now obliged to adhere to a stipulated minimum threshold of service delivery before the approval of their budgets.
According to the blueprint, the quality of service provision by local authorities should be in line with an upper-middle-income economy.

Most local authorities have been operating without masterplans while those that have, were reportedly using outdated local plans.
Victoria Falls City Council also successfully finished drafting its 2025 budget, which was presented to the full council recently as the local authority strives to meet deadlines and targets set by the Government.

Speaking to journalists, Victoria Falls town planner, Ms Ntombizami Ncube, said the guiding document was now open to public scrutiny.

“Our masterplan is now a public exhibition. We have already advertised two issues and we are waiting for the third issue,” she said.

“We started last year and managed to meet the deadline of June 30. It was submitted to the Department of Spatial Planning for review and put on public exhibition.

“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,” she said.

Victoria Falls City is surrounded by Chamabondo National Park, Zambezi National Park and Victoria Falls National Park, which is home to the Mighty Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world.

The city was declared a Unesco World Heritage site and should be maintained in its pristine state with no disturbance to the natural environment, emphasising harmony between nature and humans.

Tourism, backed by wildlife and the environment is the cornerstone of Victoria Falls’ economy. Ms Ncube said after the display period and objections on the masterplan, a summary will be compiled and a report on the recommendations of the local authority prepared. These will be sent to the Ministry of Local Government, which will review the document for approval.

“The minister will approve and it will go on display for six weeks and during that period only issues that deal with issues of law will be dealt with. If it is felt that the document was done ultra vires then the issues will be dealt with,” said Ms Ncube.

Victoria Falls town clerk, Mr Ronnie Dube, said the local authority tried to do its processes timeously to maintain good governance.

“We are on time in terms of meeting the deadline. Technically, we can say our masterplan has been completed and this means we are a compliant local authority, particularly regarding the direction and instruction guidance, which we get from our parent ministry because when you look at the masterplan, it speaks to the ‘Call of Action’ and no compromise to service delivery as espoused by President Mnangagwa,” he said. — @ncubeleon

Source: Victoria Falls masterplan open to scrutiny (05/11/24)

Victoria Falls tourist numbers surge 30pc (Zimbabwe)

DESPITE the challenges posed by the El Niño-induced drought, tour operators and industry authorities in Victoria Falls are reporting a remarkable surge in business.

Contrary to alarming social media claims that one of the Seven Wonders of the World is drying up, both the iconic water curtain at the main falls and upstream boat cruise activities have seen significant increases in visitor numbers over the past few months.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks), responsible for the Victoria Falls rainforest and Zambezi National Park, has revealed an impressive 30 percent rise in visitors over the last three months compared to the same period last year.

This surge underscores the enduring allure of Victoria Falls, as tourists continue to flock to this natural marvel, defying the drought’s impact and reinforcing its status as a premier travel destination.

(November 2024)

Statistics released by the Zimparks show that about 1 300 visitors have been touring the rainforest daily in the past three months, representing a 30 percent increase from last year’s figures.

From August, September and October comparing the 2023 and the 2024 statistics, they show that on a daily average, 1 000 people were visiting Victoria Falls in 2023 as compared to an average of 1 300 visiting in 2024.

Tourism Executive and Shearwater Adventures Public Relations Manager, Dr Clement Mukwasi said it is normal that the Victoria Falls goes through various seasons, with the current period referred to as the low water season.

However, Dr Mukwasi said the city and the tourism business is doing well with upstream activities and the curtain of water still giving visitors the much anticipated spectacular experience.

“The water levels in the Zambezi River change from season to season. We are in what is called the low water level where we do not do activities such as rafting in the lower Zambezi. However, above the falls, the sunset cruise business is booming. We have multitudes enjoying the cruises on the Zambezi. The water depth that allows us to do cruises is more than 20 metres along the whole stretch where the activity is done.

“However, the speed at which such water plunges over the falls becomes very slow during the low water period. The curtain of water on the main falls is still there on the Zimbabwe side. On the Zambian side, the terrain is a bit higher and during this period, tourists go there to see the basalt rocks and access other top of the gorge areas that are naturally not accessible during the high water period,” said Dr Mukwasi.

Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe Regional representative, Mrs Barbara Murasiranwa-Hughes also weighed in saying the falls are not dry.

“The Falls are not dry. They are still thundering. Every year, the Zambian side of the falls dries up, which is not new to this year and that is why people walk on dry rocks to enjoy the devil’s pool activity on the Zambian side.

This year, maybe because of the drought, there has been less water coming from the catchment area, so comparing year on year, the curtain has been smaller. “Tourism is doing great and activities like boat cruises are happening daily to show that there is water on the Zambezi River. International, regional and local tourists are still coming to view and enjoy the falls. “It is business as usual and we encourage all to come and see for themselves,” said Mrs Murasiranwa- Hughes.

Source: Victoria Falls tourist numbers surge 30pc  (03/11/24)

Cigarette stub started fire that destroyed decommissioned coaches worth US$40,000 – NRZ

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has established that a cigarette stub caused an inferno that destroyed decommissioned coaches at its main station in Bulawayo in September.

40 coaches were destroyed in the blaze that engulfed the NRZ workshop with initial reports by the parastatal suggesting foul play.

This incident followed another fire that involved coaches in Harare, raising suspicions of arson attacks.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts, NRZ general manager, Respina Zinyanduko said internal investigations point to a cigarette stub having been the cause of the fire.

“The initial report that I got from loss control as well as the report I got from a commission of inquiry that we set, it constituted of different departments of NRZ has indicated that it could be a fire was as a result of some employees, because we do not allow some people to smoke at work, some employees could have taken shelter in those coaches trying to hide and smoking a bit.

“One of them might have left a stub that was still burning and there was the wind; it then resulted in the spread of fire,” said Zinyanduko.

The decommissioned coaches had exceeded their operational life span and the NRZ was awaiting their disposal as scrap.

Zinyanduko told the Committee that NRZ lost US$40 000 in the value of the coaches as a result of the fire.

“The value that was lost was minimal because we had taken the seats from these coaches and they were fitted to those which were operational. These were more like shells that were parked with the intention to refurbish them in the future or disposing of them.

“The value that was there was on the scrap value of the assets, I examined the coaches one by one myself and they are still in a condition in which we can dispose of them as scrap metal. Those coaches in our books were carrying a value of about US$1,000 each because they were just shells,” said Zinyambuko.

Source: Cigarette stub started fire that destroyed decommissioned coaches worth US$40,000  – NRZ (30/10/24)

After incurring losses for years, NRZ in process of cancelling “toxic” 90s joint venture with Landela Safaris

 NATIONAL Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is in the process of terminating a joint venture agreement with Landela Safaris after the parastatal suffered losses during the deal.

NRZ entered into a joint venture with Landela Safaris to lease its prime land in Victoria Falls in 1998.

According to the agreement, Landela Safaris would construct two houses and lodges, along with a commercial centre being developed on the land.

NRZ general manager, Respina Zinyambuko told the Public Accounts Committee Monday that the parastatal may have been prejudiced in the joint venture.

“What we have done is we wanted them to be compelled to submit the financials then we compare what we have so that at least we can see the potential prejudice. In that JV NRZ has 26 percent so it is a minority shareholder,” said Zinyambuko.

Zinyambuko told the Committee that NRZ are in the process of terminating the agreement which is currently under arbitration.

“We have realized that JVs will be very difficult for us while concentrating on our operations as NRZ people can overstate the operational costs and everything and you end up with nothing.

“So we have revisited all these JVs and some we have terminated and opted for outright lease. This one we are terminating the joint venture because we have realized we are not getting anything. Instead, we are opting for this other arrangement,” said Zinyambuko.

The national railway operator has been reportedly losing funds after years of mismanagement of its assets portfolio.

The management and board are making efforts to plug in the losses which will see the parastatal gaining profits from its ventures.

NRZ board chairperson Mike Madiro told the PAC committee that the Landela Safari deal has become “toxic”.

“What we have learnt is there were serious governance issues with this joint venture to the extent that there were no board meetings.

“The relationship between NRZ and the other parties was ‘toxic’ to the extent that when the management was trying to convene the board the other parties were refusing,” said Madiro.

Source: After incurring losses for years, NRZ in process of cancelling “toxic” 90s joint venture with Landela Safaris (29/10/24)

Island Tours Devalue Tourist Experience at Victoria Falls

(Zimbabwe, 25th September 2024).

The Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls UNESCO World Heritage Listing places great emphasis on the protection of the immediate area of the Falls from tourism and other developments in an attempt to keep the views of the Falls as natural as possible and to preserve the experience of tourists, on both sides of the river.

Visitors to the Zimbabwean 'Rainforest' have their view of the Falls marred
by a group visiting the Devil's Pool and Livingstone Island 

from the Zambian side of the river.

For this reason a 'no new development' zone surrounds the core of the Site, yet the launch of tours to Cataract Island from the Zimbabwean side of the river, also highlights an existing issue on the Zambian side, where tours to Livingstone Island have been established for many years. The growth in popularity of the associated Devil's Pool activity in recent years especially has significantly increased the number and the visual impact of the tours, with groups of tourists clambering over the rocks being highly visible from the main tourism viewpoints on the Zimbabwean side of the river (as illustrated in the first photograph, above) and including temporary structures, erected each season, which are again visible from the Zimbabwean side of the river (second photo, below).

The view across to Livingstone Island from the Zimbabwean side of the river,

with temporary structures used for tourists in full view.

In response to the popularity of these tours, Zimbabwean authorities have controversially authorized the use of Cataract Island for similar activities, with yet further negative impacts on the view of tourists (third photo, below), whilst also ignoring the impacts of these tourist upon the fragile ground flora of the island (the last remaining area of the rainforest undisturbed by tourism), as well as an online petition against the use of Cataract Island for tourism which received over 40,000 signatories.

Visitors to the Zimbabwean 'Rainforest' now also have their view of the Falls 

marred by groups visiting Cataract Island.

The special status of the Victoria Falls as a National Monument, National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site aims to protect their rich natural and cultural history for future generations, also ensuring that they remain a global tourism attraction. Yet Park Authorities on the south bank have in recent years approved a wave of tourism developments within the highly protected 'red zone,' part of an ongoing trend in developing private tourism concessions within the the wider National Park area and commercialisation of the Falls in search of ever increasing tourism receipts. For this increasingly devalued experience overseas visitors are charged an ever increasing visitor fee - currently US$50 for the Zimbabwean side of the river.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, having previously requested a full independent Environmental and Social Impact Assessment before the commencement of any tourism activities on Cataract Island, are yet to comment specifically on the launch tours. No ESIA process had been conducted, as evidenced by the lack of public disclosure before the launch of the tours in April 2021 (shortly after the UNESCO Monitoring Mission to the Site).

Further Information

Tours to Cataract Island are operated by Zambezi Crescent, managers of the upstream Victoria Falls River Lodge (also located within the highly sensitive 'red zone') under the promotional banner of the 'Cataract Pool' - see www.cataractpool.com.

Read more on the launch of tours to Cataract Island on our website here. 

Visit the Keep Victoria Falls Wild website for more on the wave of tourism development issues surrounding the conservation and protection of the Falls.

#keepvictoriafallswild #victoriafalls #Zimbabwe #Zambia #zambezi #UNESCO #worldheritage #overtourism #overdevelopment #zimparks

Government in another promise to fix Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway

AFTER numerous failed promises, the government has vowed to reconstruct the unnavigable Bulawayo – Victoria Falls highway, which has become a death trap for motorists.

Government has been making promises to address the road which has become difficult to navigate due to the potholes which have been a cause for many accidents.

Earlier this year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, promised to address the road channel to the resort town with nothing tangible having materialised.

During the road rehabilitation programme which was carried out mid-year ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, the major highway among others in Matabeleland region, was left behind.

Responding to questions in the Senate Thursday, the Minister of Transport and lnfrastructure Development, Felix Mhona said government will address the road situation.

“I have traversed on most of the roads that he has mentioned. If you would relate, we were doing some sections, especially the Tsholotsho-Kezi road where we have done 5km which to me is inadequate given the length of the road.

‘We need to start from somewhere. Let me also acknowledge that in terms of road infrastructure, we have a road network close to 90 000km. Some areas were marginalised and I want to hasten to acknowledge that for years, our roads were neglected, not only the city roads but even rural roads.

“Some of our roads especially those going to places of our revolutionary icons, the roads were neglected. Alas, with the advent to the Second Republic, we have taken those roads on our radar,” said Mhona.

“Of great importance is the Victoria Falls road that the Senator has talked about, where we are going to start doing the road from Beitbridge to Bulawayo then to Victoria Falls.

“You will see us moving towards those roads and like the approach that we have agreed, not particularly doing 5km, but you will see us extending the works to quite a number of kilometres.”

Source: Government in another promise to fix Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway (11/09/24)

American tourists survive aircraft accident in Livingstone

AN adventurous fly over the Victoria falls almost ended deadly after the helicopter that two American tourist had booked was trying to return to the airstrip and it’s engine suddenly stopped prompting the pilot to apply emergency landing procedures yesterday.

Details are that around 16:30 hours, the two American Nationals who are lodging at Royal Hotel booked the helicopter from Batoka Sky Livingstone to fly over the Victoria Falls and the surrounding areas.

The aircraft was flown by a male South African pilot, Steenkamp Reyneke, aged 33 and their journey took off from Batoka Sky at 16:40 hours. The duration of the flight was 15 minutes. But as time for landing came, Reyneke was trying to return the Aircraft to the airstrip, heading to Chrisma Hotel and  flying above the sewer ponds.

Suddenly as the helicopter flew in the Zambian sky, its engine stopped, prompting the pilot to apply emergency landing procedures. However, the circumstances left the pilot with no option but to execute an emergency landing in an area which seemed to be open and without obstacles, but eventually landed in the sewer ponds as the aircraft could not glide further.

The accident happened at 17:10 hours, leaving one of the helicopter rotar blades deformed, but with no serious damages. Luckily for the two passengers and pilot, they survived without any injuries and were immediately evacuated after the accident.

Batoka Sky Livingstone Manager, Daniel Geldenhuys, 44 then reported the matter to Livingstone Central police station. Southern Province police Commanding Officer, Auxensio Daka who confirmed the incident said police visited the scene and found the helicopter partially submerged in the sewer ponds which is covered by aqua [acquatic] vegetation.

Source: American tourists survive aircraft accident in Livingstone (21/08/24)

Zimbabwe Tourism Industry has achieved 2025 US$5 billion target

 Leonard Ncube – leonard.ncube@chronicle.co.zw

GOVERNMENT believes the tourism industry has achieved its US$5 billion target set for 2025 and is working on a digital system that will help monitor and account for every transaction to close leakages and guarantee the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

Government set a target to achieve a US$5 billion tourism industry by 2025 spearheaded by arrivals and developments in the sector.

Speaking in Victoria Falls this Saturday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa said the tourism industry had surpassed its target for a US$5 billion industry by 2025 but was being hampered by under-declaring of transaction by operators.

Dep Minister Mnangagwa said arrivals and bookings over the years show that the US$5 billion target had been met.

He was speaking soon after leading a ceremonial tee-off at the 2024 Sterling Group International Pairs Golf Tournament National Finals being played at Elephant Hills Golf Course in Victoria Falls.

More than 120 amateur golfers from across the country were expected to participate at the tournament for a chance to progress to the World Finals in Tenerife, Spain next month.

Sterling Group of Hotels are sponsoring the tournament in partnership with Albatross Golf Safaris and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) with the sporting event coming in as one of the activities aimed at drumming up the brand Zimbabwe campaign, and complementing the Vision 2030.

“Just for these two days we are looking at about US$200 000 spent by people who came, looking at occupancy. In the long run we are saying we want to push domestic tourism as people move to play golf so that the US$5 billion industry is achieved very easy.

“In my personal capacity we have actually passed the US$5 billion industry. The Challenge is that our operators don’t declare actual figures on occupancy because they want to cut down that 2 percent that they remit to Zimbabwe Tourism Authority but if you look at numbers we have actually surpassed the target,” he said.

Dep Minister Mnangagwa said domestic tourism was more important than to wait for international tourists.

He said for any economy to move there is need for spending and creation of employment which helps in growth towards attaining vision 2030.

“We are going to surpass mining and agriculture and soon we will be number 1 contributor to the gross domestic product. What we are saying about under-declaring is, we are coming up with a system or software where every organisation will be made to adhere to and we will be using it to calculate automatically who came in and how many days spent.

“So it is going to be very easy. It will be digital, that is where the world is going. His Excellency President Mnangagwa is pushing towards that and as a Ministry we found it prudent that we also go in that line where every calculation is done and we are able to predict,” said the Dep Minister.

With reference to the ongoing Sadc Heads of State Summit, Dep Minister Mnangagwa said it is a key development that drives tourism as all 16 member States are closely following the event which on its own is advertising for the whole region to recognise that Zimbabwe is there and is a good destination to visit.

Source:  Zimbabwe Tourism Industry has achieved 2025 US$5 billion target (17/08/24)

New Report raises questions over management of Victoria Falls World Heritage Site

A new independent report calls for strict action on illegitimate tourism developments within the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site and highlights serious questions over the wider management of Site in advance of the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee, to be held in New Delhi, India over 21-31 July 2024.

The 2024 Victoria Falls State of Development Report (3.8mb), produced by Keep Victoria Falls Wild, calls for action on tourism developments which have been constructed in the 'no new development zone' (known as the 'High Ecologically Sensitive Zone' or HESZ) of the World Heritage Site in recent years and raises serious concerns over the management of the Site. 

"We recommend strong and specific action on recent developments in the HESZ, including the cancellation of approvals, removal of infrastructure and return of sites to their natural state (Baines Restaurant and Rock Pool); the cancellation of agreements relating to yet to be developed projects in the HESZ (Kandahar Camp and ‘Tree Lodges’ proposals); full review of existing developments within HESZ and cancellation of lease agreements if found to be in breach of Park or other regulations (Victoria Falls River Lodge, Old Drift Lodge, Zambezi Camp 'redevelopmets' and the Lookout Cafe). We also highlight what be believe are to be serious and significant shortcomings in the management and protection of the WHS HESZ relating to the River Jetty Site Section, Transport Corridor and Buffer Zone which we believe need to be addressed in the new Joint Integrated Management Plan process."

KVFW 2024 State of Development Report 

Read More

Download the Keep Victoria Falls Wild 2024 State of Development Report (3.8mb) 

Read more on all these issues and developments on the Keep Victoria Falls Wild website.

Follow our Facebook page Keep Victoria Falls Wild for latest news and updates.

Zimbabwe Park Authority release new Zambezi/Victoria Falls National Park General Management Plan

Keep Victoria Falls Wild, 6th July 2024. 

For immediate Release. No Embargo.

A new ten-year Zambezi/Victoria Falls National Park General Management Plan (2024-2034) was approved in April 2024 (ZPWMA, 2024). The Plan is publicly available on the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority website (or direct download here [4.8mb]).

The Plan presents a new map showing a proposed revised WHS boundary and management zonation, due to be presented in the new Joint Integrated Management Plan (JIMP) for the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site (and which was due for submission to UNESCO by the end of June 2024).

Map showing proposed (amended) boundary and management zones for the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site. From 2024 Victoria Falls/Zambezi National Park Management Plan, p.22. (click image for larger view).

The map confirms upstream riverside fringe as being in the red zone Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone (HESZ) which prevents all new development. This is a major win for our campaign against recent developments in this zone. For the last few years Park Authorities, and the Director-General himself, have been claiming this area was part of the Medium ESZ (MESZ) and which therefore allowed suitable tourism development - as evidenced in the Director General's letter of approval for the Baines Riverside Restaurant development (ZPWMA, June 2021a, download here) which states:

"The construction of a semi-permanent restaurant is provided for in the Joint Integrated Management Plan since the proposed development area is under the Medium Ecologically Sensitive Zone." (ZPWMA, June 2021)

Dr F U Mangwanya’s letter refers to the 2016 JIMP document in support of this claim. The 2016 JIMP map and text is highly ambiguous (perhaps deliberately so) but, on close inspection, both show the area of the riverine fringe above the Falls as within the red/HESZ zone (KVFW, 2023a; 2023b). The letter also refers to an internally produced supporting document (ZPWMA, June 2021b, download here) which also incorrectly assumes the area to be within the MESZ, as does the supporting EIA document for the development.

There needs to be a thorough investigation into how such a misinterpretation can have been made without being recognised and prevented by other parties (they appear to have all accepted the developers claim that the site is within the MESZ). Steps need to be taken to ensure that such errors of judgement cannot be made again and that ‘no development zones’ remain exactly that, permanently, and not just for the duration of short or medium term management plans or until someone in a position of authority changes their mind (or makes a mistake).

Now that all parties agree that the area is in fact within the HESZ 'no new development' zone it leaves the obvious question as to what is to be done about the recent construction of the Baines Riverside Restaurant (opened in mid-2023) and Zambezi Drive 'Rock Pool' bar (also established during 2023) developments along the riverine fringe immediately upstream the Falls, and the proposed Riverside Tree Lodge and Kandahar Camp developments where concession agreements have been again been approved by Parks in areas supposedly protected under the HESZ and where development has yet to begin on the ground.

The area of all these developments is identified in the 2007 and 2016 JIMP documents as being within the HESZ. According to the new map, and presumably new JIMP, the area remains in the HESZ. As these development concessions have been awarded in contravention of the agreed protections for the Site we believe the lease agreements made by the Park Authority with the relevent third parties must be immediately terminated, all trace of recent developments, where present, removed and the areas returned to their previous natural state. Anything short of this will be a mockery of National Park regulations, legal protections and World Heritage Site status.

It also raises question marks over longer standing developments such as the Victoria Falls River Lodge and Old Drift Lodge, both of which were constructed within the Zambezi National Park since this area was first identified as being within the WHS HESZ in the 2007 JIMP (opened in 2012 and 2018 respectively). The Victoria Falls River Lodge in particular has seen extensive subsequent expansion. These developments need to be reviewed against their original EIA approvals and concession agreements and current lease periods must not renewed if they are found to have exceeded or breeched these terms. No further expansion or development should be allowed. If leases are suspended sites must be returned to previous natural state.

There is also the issue of the recent redevelopment of the Zambezi National Park Zambezi Camp Lodges, recently undertaken in partnership with the operators of the Victoria Falls River Lodge, Zambezi Crescent. The redevelopment has seen the construction of new infrastructure along the riverbank, again in contravention of the HESZ protected status of this area. Full disclosure of these developments are needed and impacts reviewed. If the developments are found to be breech of Park or other regulations approval should be withdrawn and action taken to remove offending structures.

And downstream from the Falls there is the Wild Horizons Lookout Cafe, again within what is now confirmed as the HESZ and which has seen significant expansion of its development footprint in recent years. Elements of this development appear to also infringe National Park regulations on permitted development and use of permanent materials. Again consideration should be given to terminating lease concession at end of current period if this is found to be the case and the site returned to its natural state.

Dr F U Mangwanya, the Director-General of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, needs to explain how such a fundamental and significant mistake as mis-identifying part of the HESZ could be made and take immediate action to rectify the impacts of this error. Dr Mangwanya, who describes himself on his Linkedin profile as a 'passionate conservationist,' has overseen more damage to the natural environment of the immediate Falls environment than has been witnessed in the last fifty, if not hundred, years. His name will now be recorded as the man who approved tourism developments within the Falls highly protected 'no new development' area. And once he has rectified the damage done during his tenure his should reconsider his position.

References

State Parties (2007) 2007-2012 Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya Joint Integrated Management Plan (external download, opens in a new window).

State Parties (2016) 2016 Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya State of Conservation Report and 2016-2021 Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya Joint Integrated Management Plan (external download, opens in a new window).

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (June 2021a) Application (former Railway Water-Pump Station, Victoria Falls Long Term Lease. Letter from Dr F U Mangwanya, Director-General, ZPWMA, 22 June 2021 (jpg download [312 kb], opens in a new window).

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (June 2021b) Guidelines for the Establishment of New Semi-Permanent Structures in the Mosi-os-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Property (pdf download [2.88 mb], opens in a new window).

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (2024) Zambezi/Victoria Falls National Park General Management Plan (2024-2034). April 2024. (pdf download [8mb], opens in a new window)