Posted on 09/06/2002 4:29:07 PM PDT by Clive
TOURISM infrastructure worth millions of dollars has gone to waste on game farms where resettled farmers are converting lodges and hunting camps into residential properties.
The most affected infrastructure is in the south-eastern Lowveld and Matabeleland provinces where senior government officials and politicians have targeted game farms with lodges and other tourism infrastructure.
This is despite promises last year by Environment and Tourism minister Francis Nhema that the resettlement programme would not affect game farms, which he said would be placed under the jurisdiction of his ministry.
MP for Gwanda South Abedinico Ncube who was allocated Tshabezi Ranch in West Nicholson has taken over Todds Hotel owned by the Richardsons, the former owners of the estate. The MP has also laid claim to a kiosk, dwelling houses, a service station and servants' quarters on the ranch.
Last month Ncube wrote to Yvonne Richardson demanding that she pays rent to the MP or vacate the premises.
"We are instructed to demand as we hereby do that you pay rentals to our client in total sum of $50,000 per month for the premises with effect from August 31 or alternatively vacate on or before August 10," reads a letter from Ncube's lawyers, Mabhikwa, Hikwa & Nyathi.
The Independent this week heard that this was a common trend on game farms where operations have come to a halt.
"People who have been offered game farms are not the least interested in tourism," said Johnny Rodriguez, chairman of the Conservation Taskforce.
Rodriguez, who was in South Africa this week to lobby for the conservation of Zimbabwean game at the Earth Summit told South Africa's Beeld newspaper that game worth US$45 million had already been lost to poaching.
"The wild dogs are all dead. Animals like cheetahs are long gone, and 50% of our black rhino has been wiped out. Even pythons - up to four a day - are slaughtered and eaten in reserves," he told Beeld.
The Independent learnt this week that tourism in the south-eastern Lowveld has collapsed as lodges and safari camps in the Save Conservancy have either closed down or been converted to other use. The beautiful Senuko Lodge is almost deserted as tourists are shunning the area.
What if blacks were told to go back to Africa?
IMAGINE if one day an unpopular American president decided that all his woes were the fault of black Americans.
Using all the resources at his disposal (press, police, army, party followers, US treasury resources, supportive neighbouring countries), this president declared that African-Americans should "Go back to Africa".
You can read the rest of the article here: Zimbabwe Independent
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