Victoria Falls bridge under threat says tourism association

The Livingstone Tourism Association has raised concerns over continued congestion caused by heavy trucks at the Victoria Falls in border post in Livingstone, saying it has potential to reduce the lifespan of the facility.

LTA now wants the government to consider closing the Victoria Falls bridge to heavy trucks in order to protect the facility. Speaking during a media briefing in Livingstone, LTA  chairman Mr Alexander Munthali said the Victoria Falls border post has been turned into a truck parking yard because the queue of heavy trucks increases daily.

“We need the trucking business but we do not need it in the middle of the city or at our border entry points like Victoria Falls and Kazungula Border as is the case.

“A by-pass is required to take truck traffic from the west coming from Kazungula to the north of the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport to intersect the Lusaka road at the weighbridge area,” he said.

He said the by-pass must be a toll road which can collect revenue from trucks to help in  road maintenance.

The LTA chair argued that the bridge was not built to contain heavy traffic as is the case today.

“The bridge will get damaged and this will be another huge cost for the government. Besides, the recent situation at the border has already instigated different views as circulation on social media is increasing over the issue,” he said.

Source: Victoria Falls bridge under threat says tourism association (10/06/17)

Four nabbed for killing impala

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls

FOUR people employed at a local lodge in Victoria Falls have been arrested after they allegedly trapped an impala using a wire snare while on duty.

The four; Bongani Mathe, Elias Sibanda, both of Chinotimba as well as Ephraim Marevangepo and Trynose Mpala both of Mkhosana suburb, were arrested on Wednesday afternoon at their workplace.
The four work at Zambezi Wilderness Safaris jetty club which is run by Ilala Lodge on the edge of the Zambezi River. Mathe, Sibanda, Marevangepo and Mpala were charged with trapping an animal using a class one wire snare, which is a violation of a section of the Parks and Wildlife Act.

The four were supposed to appear in court yesterday to answer to the charge but the case was not heard as prosecutors referred the docket back to the police. Prosecutors said they had noted some anomalies in the docket and said further investigations were necessary. The four, who were represented by Mr Givemore Mvhiringi, of Mvhiringi and Partners, will be summoned to court once investigations are complete.

According to state documents, Mathe, Sibanda, Marevangepo and Mpala were on duty when an anti-poaching patrol team arrived at Zambezi Wilderness Safaris jetty club where game meat was found in a disused building. The anti-poaching team was acting on a tip off from an informer who alleged he had spotted a person carrying an impala carcass around the docking area

“When an anti-poaching team arrived at the scene, they found game meat in a box that was in a disused toilet,” read the state outline.

Source: Four nabbed for killing impala (10/06/17)

Vic Falls bridge under threat

SHIKANDA KAWANGA, Livingstone

THE Livingstone Tourism Association (LTA) has asked Government to consider closing the Victoria Falls bridge to heavy trucks following heavy flow of traffic that has potential to reduce the lifespan of the facility.

And LTA chairman Alexander Munthali expressed concern at the continued congestion caused by heavy trucks at the Victoria Falls border post in Livingstone. Speaking during a media briefing in Livingstone, Mr Munthali said the Victoria Falls border post has been turned into a truck parking yard because the queue of heavy trucks increases daily.

“We need the trucking business but we do not need it in the middle of the city or at our border entry points like Victoria Falls and Kazungula Border as is the case. “A by-pass is required to take truck traffic from the west coming from Kazungula to the north of the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport to intersect the Lusaka road at the weighbridge area,” he said.

He said the by-pass must be a toll road which can collect revenue from trucks for road maintenance.

Mr Munthali said the iconic structure was not built to contain heavy traffic as is the case presently. “The bridge will get damaged and this will be another huge cost for the government. Besides, the recent situation at the border has already instigated different views as circulation on social media is increasing over the issue,” he said.

Source: Vic Falls bridge under threat (10/06/17)

Room occupancy at The Victoria Falls Hotel grows 2.31 percent

MEIKLES Limited revenue for the year ended March 31, 2017 clocked $457.6 million up from $453.6 million in the prior year boosted by an “exceptional” performance of the group’s supermarkets.

In a statement accompanying the group’s financial position for the period under review, chairman Mr John Moxon said despite the growth trajectory recorded through supermarkets, revenue for the other segments declined due to adverse trading conditions.

“Group revenue for the year ended March 31, 2017 amounted to $457.6 million (2016: $453.6 million), boosted by an exceptional performance by the supermarket segment. Revenue for the supermarkets grew by five percent defying the negative effect of depressed consumer demand that prevailed during the entire financial year,” he said.

Mr Moxon said the supermarket segment trading as TM and Pick n Pay had an eventful financial year with climax being the re-opening of the refurbished and rebranded flagship branch at Village Walk in Borrowdale.

“Despite the biggest branch TM Borrowdale operating under renovations for a greater part of the financial year, the segment achieved yet another set of exceptional results for the financial year ended March 31, 2017,” he said.

“Revenue for the year grew by five percent to $414 million relative to the prior year. The segment has achieved revenue growth year-on-year since 2013, spurred by branch network expansion and upgrades.”

Gross profit for the year improved by two percentage points due to improved efficiency in procurement coupled with reduction in wastage and shrinkage.

“Operating costs grew by seven percent due to incremental costs of new branches as well as increased depreciation on new equipment,” Mr Moxon added.

On the agriculture segment, he said revenue went down by six percent to $21.2 million from $22.4 million in 2016. The decline in revenue was due to a 20 percent fall in tonnage of bulk tea exports.

“Prior year’s tonnage of bulk tea exports was higher due to build-up of stocks during the period from December 2014 to March 2015, when exports were on hold pending the granting of the Rainforest Alliance certification,” said Mr Moxon.

The group’s hospitality sector revenue for the year declined by seven percent to $14.7 million weighed down by the fall in room occupancy and average room rates in Harare.

The rebound in international tourist arrivals in Victoria Falls assisted in containing the decline in the segment’s revenue to a single digit rate. Room occupancy at The Victoria Falls Hotel grew by 2.31 percentage points to 55.02 percent.

The stores segments revenue for the financial year ended March 31, 2017 was $9 million reflecting a decrease of 59 percent over last year. On the financial services sector, Mr Moxon said the Meikles Financial Services faced a mixed trading year to March 31, 2017.

The highlight for the year was the rapid uptake of the MyCash Card, the low-cost, multi-featured bank account, which was launched in early 2016.

As at March 31, 2017 there were in excess of 150 000 account holders covering all demographic groups.

Meikles Guard Services continued to expand its customer base outside the group companies and secured 23 additional posts during the period under review.

“Total number of posts at March 31, 2017 stood at 268, of which 220 were posts within the group and 48 posts were from organisations outside the group. We await the awarding of security tenders that MGS was recently invited to submit. The tenders lodged are for various security organisations including embassies, corporates and financial institutions,” he said.

Source: Supermarkets boost Meikles year revenue (05/06/17)

AC Milan star at Victoria Falls

ITALIAN and AC Milan midfield star Andrea Poli has become the latest in a long list of world-famous celebrities who have succumbed to the allure of the Victoria Falls.

He reportedly sampled the adrenalin-rush inducing 111-metre bungee jump from the Victoria Falls bridge on Saturday.

Poli (27), who has had stints with other Italian giants Sampdoria and Inter Milan basked in the splendour of one of the Seven Wonders of the World over the weekend.

Although most of his itinerary was kept secret, Poli capped off his stay yesterday with a helicopter ride with Shearwaters Safaris for an aerial view of the awe-inspiring falls.

An official at Shearwater declined to comment on the issue, citing client confidentiality.

However, Poli was pictured disembarking from a Shearwater helicopter yesterday afternoon.

The picture has since gone viral.

He also posed for a picture with former Zifa Southern Region chairperson and football administrator Morgan Gazza Dube.

Sources yesterday said the playmaker - on holiday due to the off season in Italy - was bowled over by the imposing feast for the eyes that is the majestic Victoria Falls.

Dube said the combative midfielder yesterday told him that he was backing Real Madrid against his countrymen Juventus in the Uefa Champions league final on Saturday night.

Spanish champions Real Madrid crushed the Italians from Turin 4-1.

Dube said Poli told him:

"I don't like Juventus. I grew up in Milan and I'm a Milanian through and through. At one time I even turned down an offer from Juventus."

Poli has been likened to the great Daniele De Rosi, the tough as nails AS Roma and Italy national team defensive midfielder.

The player, who says his style of play was influenced by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, was at the prime tourist destination over the weekend.

It could not be established if he sampled one of the biggest thrills for overseas visitors- going close to real wild animals like lions, elephants and other game that roam the nearby Hwange National Park.

He was said to have flown to South Africa yesterday.

The dead-ball-specialist joins a star studded list of renowned celebrities who have ignored fictitious reports about Zimbabwe in Western media to avail themselves to the epoch marking experience of the Victoria Falls.

In March this year, Hollywood A-Lister and successful rapper Will Smith also visited Victoria Falls. The "fresh Prince" also bungeed off the Victoria Falls Bridge.

Professional wrestler, Shawn Michaels, movie star and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the late pop icon Michael Jackson, RnB singer Joe Thomas and the legendary R Kelly have visited the Victoria Falls and gone on game drives to see wild animals in their natural habitat.

Many more international celebrities flock incognito to Victoria Falls annually.

Source: AC Milan star at Victoria Falls (05/06/17)

Too many roadblocks not bad for tourism, says Karikoga Kaseke

VISITORS to Zimbabwe must not be afraid of the roadblocks as they are there to “maintain peace” in the country, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer, Karikoga Kaseke, said.
Kaseke said he was surprised to hear that some tourists were being scared away by the heavy ZRP presence on Zimbabwe’s roads because the police were simply maintaining peace.

The remarks by Kaseke come after the Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi told journalists last week that he was going to take the issue of heavy ZRP presence on the country’s roads to the cabinet.
Mzembi said too many roadblocks were “chasing away” tourists, adding he was also going to call for an indaba on the issue.

But the ZTA boss said ZRP was simply ensuring “safety and security”.
He said the number of tourists coming into the country had actually gone up with about 2 million visiting last year.

“Please visitors do not fear for your safety when you come to Zimbabwe; why are people saying there are too many roadblocks in the country?” Kaseke told NewZimbabwe.com.

“These road blocks, to some extent, are also guaranteeing peace. The ZRP are renowned internationally for maintaining peace when they go on peace missions, our police always come out tops,” he added.

“The Zimbabwe we have is not the Zimbabwe that they (tourists) hear of through the international media. The Zimbabwe that they are hearing about on the international media also shocks us.

“For us we cannot form our own perception for our country, the Zimbabwe that we know is the Zimbabwe that is the most peaceful country. Peace is our selling point.”

Last year, a visitor exit survey (VES) released by the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency said harassment by ZRP constituted the highest percentage of reasons why leaving tourists would not return or recommend the country to potential visitors.

Source: Too many roadblocks not bad for tourism, says Karikoga Kaseke (05/06/17)

Zim seeks lines of credit from Russia

From Pamela Shumba in St Petersburg, Russia

ZIMBABWE is using the 21st St Petersburg International Economic Forum to market investment opportunities in the country and to seek possible lines of credit to lubricate economic growth.
This emerged here on Thursday where three Cabinet ministers on economic portfolios, led by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, are attending the high profile economic forum. The country is also marketing Victoria Falls as a Special Economic Zone and a tourist destination with a target of luring Russians in an effort to boost trade and tourism in the resort town.

Finance and Economic Development Patrick Chinamasa revealed in an interview that discussions were underway to entice Russian investors and seek lines of credit from the giant country’s finance institutions. “We’re having several bilateral meetings with investors who are interested in investing in Zimbabwe. And we’re looking for investments in all sectors of the economy,” said the minister.

“We’ve also been talking to the Russian financial institutions for lines of credit to support our productive sector and infrastructure development. We’re also marketing Victoria Falls as a Special Economic Zone for tourism as well as a financial services sector. There have been airlines now flying into Victoria Falls bringing in tourists. We would also want to see Russian airlines bringing in tourists into the resort town to see one of the great wonders of the world.”

Minister Chinamasa said the country had already cleared the arrears to the International Monetary Fund and work was in progress to clear the arrears to the African Development Bank and the World Bank.

He said the forum was mainly for Russians who are looking for foreign direct investments adding that the country was keen to work with them.

“Our interest is diversified. We’re trying to make contact with Russian investors to lure them to come and invest in Zimbabwe. Our meetings have basically been bilateral and I think we’ve had good meetings.

“We’re also here in order to open up the Russian market to our agricultural products and we’re emphasising the fact that we’re a non-GMO producer and that it will be in our mutual interest to open up the Russian market for our horticultural citrus products. I think as the first step we’re encouraged by the interest that is shown in Zimbabwe,” said Minister Chinamasa.

He added that Zimbabwe was also interested in investments in the mining, manufacturing and the technology sectors. Minister Chinamasa and counterparts, Walter Chidhakwa (Mining) and Dr Mike Bimha (Industry and Commerce) were joined by a delegation of business people and technocrats who are also participating in the economic forum, which ends today.

“In the mining sector we’re talking about exploration in our diversified mineral base. We’re happy that the Russians are showing interest,” said Minister Chinamasa.

Source: Zim seeks lines of credit from Russia (03/06/17)