Vic Falls to flush out troublesome street beggers

THE Victoria Falls Municipality is planning to flush out all street beggars as they have become a menace  to  international tourism destination, Town Clerk, Christopher Dube has said

Dube  said if the beggars are not  dealt with they  were likely to send a wrong impression about the country and Victoria Falls to visitors.

"Just like other local authorities we have some challenges with vendors but ours is not as complex as other towns probably for two reasons.

“We're a small local authority and we're also very strict on our by-laws because we're an international destination," said Dube.

 Victoria Falls is the country's prime resort centre and earns millions of dollars each year by attracting thousands of international tourists.

"Lately, we've noticed that there has been a proliferation of beggars on the streets and we're looking at ways of evicting them soon. There are street beggars almost everywhere and we need to find ways of dealing with them." 

Source: Vic Falls to flush out troublesome street beggers (12/06/15)

Zimbabwe gets $1.5 from disputed tourism tax

The Zimbabwean government has raked in $1.6 million from a disputed 15% value-added tax (VAT) on foreign tourists.

Zimbabwe introduced the new levy early this year in a bid to widen its revenue base.

Hospitality industry players argue that the tax — levied on foreign tourists' accommodation — could make Zimbabwe a more expensive tourism destination compared to its neighbours, dampening efforts to revive the depressed sector.

Finance secretary, Willard Manungo defended the levy before a parliamentary committee on tourism on Monday, saying it was the norm in the region and they had raised $1.6 million between January and April.

At this rate, by December $4.8 million could be raised.

"Tanzania is on the upper end, applying 18 per cent, while Seychelles and Mauritius both charge 15 per cent," he said. "South Africa charges 14 per cent, while Botswana charges 12 per cent. Zambia is the only country in the region which does not have the levy in place."

The tourism industry's contribution to the economy is expected to grow to 15% at the end of 2015.

Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) Commissioner-General, Gershom Pasi defended the levy saying it was legitimate. "It's not fair for the tourism industry to be complaining on the move to pay 15% VAT. The way it has been handled, it's like they were ambushed but this is not an ambush," he said.

Tourism players contend that the move to impose a 15% tax on hotel accommodation for foreign tourists shows high levels of desperation.

The tax, introduced in January, has reportedly prompted cancellations by foreign tourists, some of whom had made bookings well in advance.

The tourism industry, which claims to have lost $6 million in potential revenues in the last quarter of 2014 due to Ebola scare, registered 4 per cent tourist arrival growth during the nine months to September 30, 2014.

In his 2015 budget statement, Finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa said the sector was projected to grow by 4.7 per cent in 2015 as compared to 3.9 per cent in 2014, translating to about 2.1 million tourist arrivals in 2015 from last year's 2 million.

Source: Zimbabwe gets $1.5 from disputed tourism tax (09/06/15)

‘Santonga is not a zoo’

The Santonga project in Victoria Falls, which received environment impact assessment approval in 2007, has been in the news lately with tourism players divided over whether or not it should go ahead. The Sunday Mail Extra Editor Garikai Mazara spoke to Dave Glynn, chair of Africa Albida Tourism, owners of the project, about the contentious issues.

Q: What is the background to Santonga, what inspired the idea?

A: I travelled a lot with my family to different parts of the globe and visited different parks and realised that we could do a lot better in Zimbabwe. I also thought there was a need in Victoria Falls for something other than the falls as an attraction.

Then I met Professor Lee Berger, a globally renowned palaeoanthropologist, and he commented on how rich the history around Victoria Falls was. I wanted to tell the Victoria Falls story, and the idea of Santonga was borne.

Q: Some call it a zoo, is that an appropriate description?

A: When you are standing on the Santonga site looking west, to the right-hand side there is a fenced crocodile farm with more than 8 000 crocodiles and on the right-hand side of that is a chicken farm. On the left-hand side is an elephant encounter centre, which has elephants in paddocks.

Behind is the Elephant Hills Resort, which is fenced, but has wildlife roaming free on the property. We will not have any animals displayed in cages, glass boxes or pens. We call it “Santonga, the Victoria Falls story” and describe it as an edutainment park.

Whatever animals we do have will be solely for the purpose of conservation education and will be as recommended by specialists and would only likely consist of injured or orphaned animals or the like, or as otherwise advised by wildlife specialists.

We are coming from a conservation bias, in which we have taken the fundamental issue of the elimination of wildlife on the planet as the foundation principle that we would like to have a positive influence on. Wherever wildlife is involved, it would only be done in close consultation with experts, and to convey the messages of conservation. At all times there will be no display boxes, cages or pens.

Q: Those who are against the project talk of downstream job losses, that tourists will no longer go on game drives preferring one stop at Santonga. Your response?

A: Santonga will create 150 direct jobs. The World Tourism Organisation research shows a multiplier effect of 10 times, so we can anticipate 1 500 downstream jobs. We are hoping Santonga will extend visitor stay in Victoria Falls by one night. If we can achieve that, it will extend stay by 40 percent and, therefore, grow Victoria Falls economy by 40 percent.

So the converse is true; it is not about the loss of jobs, but the creation of jobs. With regards to the game drives, we don’t believe that anything we are doing will compete in any way whatsoever with these. We will be quite happy to promote other activities from the site.

Q: There are suggestions that if such a project has to be undertaken, it should be done in Europe, America — places where wild animals do not occur naturally, not here in Africa. The argument being that tourists come to Africa to see animals in the wild. Your side?

A: They will still see that wildlife. The wrong impression has been created of Santonga. Very little of what you see will be on game drives. We are largely talking about the little animals, the birds and even the insects that are lost to view.

According to a recent WWF report, 52 percent of all wildlife on the planet has been wiped out in the last 40 years and the pace of that is ramping up.

If we just take elephant, as an example, more than 100 000 elephant — out of a maximum population estimate of 640 000 — have been poached in Africa in the past three years. A great many species is in trouble and their story is not being told.

At Santonga we are including wildlife both because they are such an integral part of the Victoria Falls story, and to educate visitors on the plight of the species. Again, everything we do here will be guided by specialists.

Q: There are also questions as to why you would want to replicate Great Zimbabwe; won’t you be killing Masvingo as a tourist destination?

A: Quite the contrary, we believe Great Zimbabwe is unusually under-exposed. In no way would we be able to replicate Great Zimbabwe, but what we do want to do is tell the great trading story of Great Zimbabwe, trading as far afield as China, Arabia and Europe 500 years ago; and the vast extended stone structures throughout Zimbabwe and the region, that all connected in various ways at various times. We believe this will heighten interest in Great Zimbabwe.

Q: What will happen to the present corridor animals use to get to the Zambezi River, especially in view of other proposed projects in and around Santonga that will make the corridor impassible by the wild animals?

A: There are two substantial game corridors that exist on either side of Santonga, and those are being completely preserved, so there will be no blockages of those corridors. We are not aware of any other developments around Santonga that might have that impact, but Santonga won’t block those corridors.

Q: What is the present project status? Has it been approved, awaiting approval or been turned down?

A: Santonga was fully approved in 2007 having completed full project status via the Victoria Falls Municipality and multiple relevant Government departments, including a full EIA (environment impact assessment).

Q: You mention that the EIA was approved in 2007. Why did it take eight years to start building?

A: We actually launched Santonga at the main travel show in Southern Africa, Indaba in Durban in 2008, but you will recall the economic and political conditions that followed both locally and globally so that tourist arrivals declined.

Arrivals are now back to a viable level plus the advent of the upcoming Victoria Falls airport plus the new Kaza Univisa , these things have allowed Santonga to come back onto the table. Santonga needs a throughput of 120 000 visitors annually to be viable.

Q: So what is unique about Santonga?

A: There is an extraordinary history around Victoria Falls that has never been told, and that is a considerable focus, and the area of most of the investment at Santonga. It is a great African story. Santonga, will tell the Victoria Falls story from its very beginnings four billion years ago.

As well as history, and wildlife, it will tell the story of the people — with four villages showcasing the different tribes, so visitors can learn about their history, culture and traditions.

Source: ‘Santonga is not a zoo’ (7/6/15)
More: Santonga Project: The untold story (22/5/15)
 Santonga Project rattles Vic Falls (15/5/15)

Vic Falls man in court for robbing Swiss couple

A VICTORIA Falls man who allegedly broke into a lodge at night and robbed, under duress, a Swiss couple that was on holiday in the resort town has been dragged to court.

Josphat Ncube, 28, is alleged to have pounced on the sleeping couple-Sofia Surla and Dabrila Nesic-Surla, who were booked at Imvelo Gorges Lodge on April 2 this year.

Prosecutor Listen Nare said Ncube was in the company of two Zambians identified as Njamba Toloto and Takanyala who are on the run.

They allegedly stole cameras, a suitcase with clothes and cash amounting to $500 and 30 Swiss Francs.

Part of the property was recovered on the Zambian side near Livingstone where Ncube was arrested at a roadblock during the same night as he and his alleged accomplices illegally crossed into the neighbouring country but ended in the hands of the police.

The alleged Zambian accomplices evaded arrest as they fled leaving Ncube, the court was told.

Ncube appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Sharon Rosemani on Friday to answer to unlawful entry, robbery and violating the Immigration Act.

Zambian authorities handed Ncube to ZRP on his release from prison on Monday after he had served 30 days for the offense of illegally crossing into that country following his arrest on April 2.

On Friday, the magistrate denied him bail after the prosecutor opposed it on the grounds that he was a flight risk.

Ncube denied the charges, saying the two Zambians had hired him to help them carry the loot to the neighbouring country. He was remanded in custody to June 3.

Nare said Ncube and his alleged accomplices used a craw bar to force open the door into a room where their victims were sleeping.

Ncube and colleagues allegedly ransacked the room and stole cameras, a suitcase with clothes and the cash.

It is alleged that Ncube, and his alleged accomplices crossed the border into Zambia at about midnight but ran out of luck when they were intercepted at a roadblock and searched leading to the recovery of stolen property.

Ncube was allegedly found in possession of Sofia’s Master Card, a university ID card under the name Erasmus, and some insurance cards.

Source: Vic Falls man in court for robbing Swiss couple (27/05/15)

Santonga Project: The untold story

 There has been gnashing of teeth in the Victoria Falls Municipality resulting in the council this week disowning the Santonga Project and going to great lengths to exonerate itself. Are the chickens coming back to the village to roost?

If we don’t stop Santonga from closing the last standing animal corridor now, we will end up being servants there, working towards the destruction of our own heritage. When others do it for the love of money, we should do it to protect our heritage.

Of late, Zimbabwe has witnessed an unorthodox regrouping of diehard Rhodesians, clandestinely trying to usurp powers from National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, based on the mentality that they were doing it better in Rhodesia.

This is precisely the reason why Government recently stopped that Hwange project, because it was in direct competition with National Parks.

Like this villager promised last week, here are the facts about Africa Albida Tourism’s land ownership in Victoria Falls.

AAT owns the Boma Restaurant in Victoria Falls on Stand 471 and the land is about 30 hectares. The company also owns Stand 1560 which is zoned for the construction of lodges. The land is about 20ha and it was purchased from the Local Government during the Zimbabwean dollar era.

AAT also has a terminable lease for Stand 1561 from the Municipality of Victoria Falls. This is a 25-year lease running from 2007 and expiring in 2032.

AAT also leases from Local Government a 50,5ha of land on Stand 936. The first lease was given to the company just before the announcement of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in February 1964 and expired in 1991. In 1991, AAT got an extension of the lease up to February 2016. They have now applied to buy the piece of land or extend the lease by another 25 years on a terminable lease basis. The application is still pending.

Of interest is that each stand has a different land use plan, yet AAT now wants to incorporate all the four pieces of land and create a zoo called Santonga Project.

Stands 1561 and 936 are supposed to be used as an animal corridor, where Santonga is only allowed to do horse trails and photography on wildlife passing to and from the Zambezi River. This is captured in the contracts that govern the use of the two stands. Section 4 of Contract LB/131/936 and L2064 refers, according to Ministry of Local Government records.

Stands 471 and 1560 are meant to accommodate lodges development. Stand 471 was developed about two decades ago while stand 1560 has no development on it.

The Santonga Project is not a lodge and does not fall into the category of lodges. If AAT wants to develop this piece of land into a zoo or theme park, as they call it, they are supposed to approach the Victoria Falls Municipality and apply for either change of land use or change of reservation. The process includes advertising such intention in the local press and people are given an opportunity to air their views. That has not been done despite the fact that this process is mandatory.

It is very surprising in the first instance, therefore, that the company has so many pieces of land under its control in an area like Victoria Falls which has serious land shortages. Contrary to the Santonga shenanigans, the Government of Zimbabwe has decided not to tamper with the area near the Falls and allocated itself land about 20km from the Falls for the development of its theme parks under the Mosi a Tunya Trust. Government is also mooting a new town 40km from the current Victoria Falls in a bid to keep the Falls as natural and intact as possible.

It is therefore very clear that when Local Government gave AAT some of these stands to control, the intention was that AAT would keep the stands in their wilderness state thereby promoting the tenets of the world heritage site.

Source: Santonga Project: The untold story (21/05/2015)

Livingstone to get conference facility

The Zambian Government intends to construct an conference facility in Livingstone to cater for growing international events being hosted in the tourist capital, says Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba. Mr Kalaba said Government is working hard to put up ultra-modern conference facilities in Livingstone, Lusaka and other provincial centres. He said the country will be hosting the Africa Union summit in 2022 and one of the issues being looked at is the construction of a conference facility to host 53 heads of state. Mr Kalaba, who described the just ended Summit of the African Union Committee of Ten as a success, said Livingstone will again be the centre of attention as it hosts the Least Developed Countries (LDC) meeting next month. “President Lungu will open the LDC meeting which Zambia is the chair. This event will attract ministers from LDC countries,” he said. And Southern Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu says President Lungu is committed to boost Livingstone’s economic activities. “The President wants us to make the city attractive to visitors as this has the potential of growing the tourism industry. “There is need to grow the industry so that we can create jobs, income and generate benefits that go along with the tourism industry,” he said. Mr Mubukwanu said Government is keen to have all statutory departments relating to tourism activities moved to Livingstone. Source: Livingstone to get conference facility (15/05/15)

Zimbabwe to sell wild animals to Angola

Zimbabwe plans to export more wild animals to Angola despite widespread criticism for similar deals with China and the United Arab Emirates.
According to media reports on Tuesday, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has struck a deal with the Angolan National Conservation Park for the export of elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and lions.
"The deal is being worked on between the Ministry of Environment and the Angolan National Conservation Park for the latter to buy the excess wild animals in Zimbabwe," one of the reports said. "The deal is expected to be signed in July in Angola."
Zimbabwe early this year came under sustained local and international condemnation from conservationists for exporting close to 62 baby elephants to the United Arab Emirates, France and China.
However, the government has argued that is suffering from a funding crisis and funds raised from the sale of the elephants would be used to help with conservation efforts.
The elephants were sold for up to $60,000 each. Zimbabwe needs to reduce its 80,000-strong elephant population, which is beyond the carrying capacity of its parks.
Under the Convent ion on International Trade in Endangered Species agreement to protect wild fauna and flora, trade in elephants is permissible, as long as it is properly regulated.
The treaty stipulates that all species should be categorised according to the size and robustness of the population, and trade limited accordingly.
Cash-strapped Zimbabwean government is seized with mobilising the international community for financial aid, direct budgetary support and debt relief from various sources.
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa recently said he is not expecting any revenue from the country's diamonds as they have run out and the companies mining the precious minerals have no capacity to go deeper.
Source: Zimbabwe to sell wild animals to Angola (12/05/15)