COVID Impact on Tourism in South Africa

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Peter Betts
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Re: Lockdown in South Africa (and elsewhere) 26 March to 16 April (Extended to ......?? 2020)

Post by Peter Betts »

Richprins wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 10:57 am 0()

It will eventually be tricky going to overnight, as from Olifants northwards is a different province in Kruger! :twisted:
=O: =O: =O: =O: =O:


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Re: Lockdown in South Africa (and elsewhere) 26 March to 16 April (Extended to ......?? 2020)

Post by Peter Betts »

Lisbeth wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 11:14 am Talking about the Kruger, she says:
You can do a self-drive within your own province
so she obviously does know.
Are they going to have Road Blocks along the H7 in Kruger to stop people going from Mphumalanga into Limpopo lol lol lol


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Re: New protocols for tourism industry released (COVID)

Post by Lisbeth »

Level 3 hunting regulations are a bit of a crapshoot

By Ed Stoddard• 31 May 2020

Image
A visitor to the exhibition tries out a rifle scope during the annual Huntex held in Johannesburg, South Africa, 25 April 2019. The five-day long expo is an international consumer exhibition catering for hunters, sport shooters, game farm owners and game breeders, people with personal and defensive protection requirements, outdoorsmen, anglers, security and trade professionals. EPA-EFE/KIM LUDBROOK

Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi Ngubane said on Saturday, 30 May that hunting and game drives could resume under Level 3, a potential lifeline for some game farms that are struggling in the face of collapsed revenue sources. But hunting falls under Environmental Affairs and Minister Barbara Creecy will shortly spell out the details.

As Business Maverick reported on 11 May 2020, South Africa’s game farming industry is in serious trouble because its three key sources of income – hunting, game driving and sales – suddenly evaporated with the lockdown measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Kubayi Ngubane said on Saturday that hunting would be allowed, but that has created some confusion, not least because hunting has not been regulated by the tourism ministry since it was split from environmental affairs.

Adri Kitshoff-Botha, the CEO of Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA), told Business Maverick that WRSA was advising its members to hold off on inviting hunters back to their properties until clarification was made by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).

In response to queries from Business Maverick, the department said: “The minister is processing directions which will provide further guidance on hunting and fishing.”

Business Maverick understands that hunting for meat will likely be allowed, not “trophy hunting”, though it is hard to see how that would be regulated. Some hunters target large male species as trophies, but the meat still winds up in their freezer. One suspects that hunting of the “Big Five” will remain off-limits – not least because foreign hunters with deep pockets are unable to fly to South Africa currently – but that is just speculation at this point. The taxidermists will remain out of business it seems, but some butchers may have additional work.

Regulations signed by the minister earlier in May 2020 said that while recreational hunting remained prohibited then, culling operations could take place under “strict conditions”, for example to thin out populations based on census data. Game farms are enclosed with fences and are like islands of habitat that can only support a finite amount of wildlife.

| Some of the jobs created are skilled and reasonably well paid, while many are low wage – but in South Africa today, a job is a job.

WRSA’s Kisthoff-Botha told Business Maverick that a resumption of hunting on game farms “would be a welcome income stream” though if restrictions on inter-provincial travel remain, it will likely only be a trickle. Many hunters, including those who “shoot for the pot”, are middle or upper-class residents of Gauteng, where there is very limited hunting compared to what exists in other provinces such as Limpopo or North West.

The same will apply to private game farms that typically host tourists for game viewing. Most of them will draw their clientele from other provinces – notably Gauteng – or overseas, so they will hardly reap a sudden windfall.

WRSA says the local hunting industry contributes about R2-billion to South Africa’s economy each year. Some animal welfare organisations will dispute this figure and frankly, all sides of the wildlife economic debate – hunting versus non-hunting, bunny hugger versus gunslinger, “sustainable use” versus “non-consumptive” approaches – tend to overstate the economic importance of their cases.

Still, there is little doubt that game viewing, hunting, and the trade in wildlife species generate jobs and income and business opportunities and capital in South Africa, with spin-offs through various economic pipelines. Some of the jobs created are skilled and reasonably well paid, while many are low wage – but in South Africa today, a job is a job.

This is one of the reasons why the ANC government has never been anti-hunting in the way that Kenya has been for decades. Supporters of the South African model might note that its wildlife populations have generally grown over the same period, while Kenya’s has for the most part been in decline.

South Africa’s game farming industry – an unusual example of wildlife or faunal privatisation – has helped to conserve and grow populations of species that play a crucial ecological role such as rhinos, at least half of which are now probably in private hands in this country.

Much of the land that such animals are found on are not the best for crop cultivation, so food security does not appear to be an issue here. But in terms of land reform, more radical political elements – against the backdrop of surging poverty, fertile soil for populism – may raise disquieting questions around land being used for wildlife and conservation mostly for the enjoyment of the affluent classes in a country with such wide disparities in property ownership. It remains to be seen how this all plays out. Covid-19 is forcing a lot of issues to the fore. DM/BM


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Re: Lockdown in South Africa (and elsewhere) 26 March to 16 April (Extended to ......?? 2020)

Post by Flutterby »

These ministers are an embarrassment to the country. 0*\

Minister of Tourism doesn't know what the Minister of Environmental Affairs is doing. 0*\ The Minister of Education had announced that all Grade 7s and 12s would return to school today and then did an about-turn last night!! Children who are at boarding school had already returned ready to start today, and now don't know when they will start!! O/ O/


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Re: New protocols for tourism industry released (COVID)

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0()


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Re: New protocols for tourism industry released (COVID)

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https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/20 ... r-level-3/

It's official: hunting, fishing and game drives are allowed under level 3
01 June 2020 - 18:11
BY ERNEST MABUZA

Hunting and recreational fishing are among the activities the department of environment, forestry and fisheries has allowed under level 3 of the lockdown.

Self-drive visits to private or public game reserves and national parks will also be allowed during level 3.

“All fishing, including recreational fishing, is permitted with the exception of charter fishing,” said minister Barbara Creecy.

Fishers must ensure that they have a valid permit - and all regulations relating to social distancing, health protocols, movement and the prohibition of groups and gatherings apply.

The department's directions say wildlife auctions can take place online. Live auctions comprising not more than 50 people may be held where online auctions are not possible.

Subsistence hunting for food with the necessary permits is permitted.

The directions state that self-drive excursions in public and private game reserves are permitted.

SANParks will publish a list of access-controlled parks that will be opened to visitors in the coming days, said Creecy.

Ezemvelo reserves will not open this week to the public.

Spokesperson Musa Mntambo said the organisation will allow some of their staff to come back to work to prepare the facilities and also to develop protocols that will guide us for when they open.

The reserves will "probably open early next week".

This was also the case for the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park in northern KZN.

Visitors to national parks are advised to book and pay online before going on a game drive.

“While we understand that many nature lovers are keen to get back to our national parks and game reserves, it would be prudent to wait until the relevant authorities are comfortable with their state of preparedness to welcome visitors,” said Creecy.

She said all the usual protocols with regard to social distancing, hand sanitising and wearing of masks will apply at all times.

On waste management, 100% of the recycling sector is allowed to operate, the department added.


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Re: New protocols for tourism industry released (COVID)

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Re: New protocols for tourism industry released (COVID)

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Why does everybody only start to prepare now? A lot of things could have been done earlier and they would have earned a week O**


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Re: New protocols for tourism industry released (COVID)

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Does this then imply day visits only? :-?


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Re: New protocols for tourism industry released (COVID)

Post by Mel »

I was thinking that too, Lis. But then again, they weren't allowed to work before being non-essential and all. -O-
Just not well organized from government's side. And that is the case everywhere. Over here we had schools
in some federal states that had less then a week to prepare for their students to return. Impossible to do it
properly on such short notice. But the state government hadn't given them a heads up before the official
announcement, so there they went...


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