Malipati Safari Area disbanded
Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has agreed with Chiredzi Rural District Council to disband the community-run Malipati Safari Area in southern Chikombedzi following its incorporation under the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust. Malipati Safari Area used to benefit local villagers under the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (campfire).

Its disbanding was being stalled by haggling between Chiredzi RDC and Zimparks.

Zimparks last year, sealed a deal with Frankfurt Zoological Society to transform the wildlife-rich Gonarezhou National Park at the same time disband all sport hunting facilities around the sanctuary.

Addressing participants during a Chiredzi RDC full council meeting recently, council chair Alderman Edward Matsilele revealed the impending demolition of campsites in the Malipati Safari Area.

“Malipati Safari Area issues have been concluded and hunting in the area has stopped completely. The camp is to be demolished by the end of next month because Zimparks has indicated that its continued presence is not in their plans,” said Alderman Matsilele. He said the Malipati community will be paid an undisclosed amount of money by the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust as compensation for the folding of Malipati Safari Area.

“Meetings to distribute the pro-rata benefits from Malipati Safari Area have been convened involving Zimparks,Chiredzi RDC and the Sengwe Community Leadership. We expect the programme to be rolled out soon and a surveyor has been hired to resolve potential boundary disputes between Zimparks and some concession areas in Sengwe 2 and Sango Border Post,’’ said Ald Matsilele.

Sources privy to the deal, revealed that the Malipati community was going to rake in $30 000 annually from Gonarezhou Conservation Trust for loss of hunting fees revenue in the wake of the closure of Malipati Safari Area.

“When we attended meetings with Zimparks officials and Chiredzi RDC, the Malipati community was promised a $30 000 annual windfall from the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust and it was agreed that the money will be channelled towards community development,’’ said the source who preferring to remain anonymous.

Link to story:

https://www.herald.co.zw/malip...fari-area-disbanded/

I wonder how much Nixon paid the locals? Apparently nor enough. Always follow the money!

Spent several weeks of my life hunting in Malapati Safari Area. It was once thick with game - will always have great memories and some nice taxidermy. Tough area for cats, but great for ele and buff and quite a few PG species.

quote:

The camp is to be demolished by the end of next month because Zimparks has indicated that its continued presence is not in their plans,”

Why would the Frankfurt Zoological Society managing the park want to demolish a lovely camp on the bank of the river instead of renovating it for their photo tourism initiatives? Since the only infrastructure nearby is a bare campground near the airstrip?

Sounds to me like a determined plan to destroy the infrastructure on communal land so that if the local community changed their mind and decided to revert to hunting the cost barrier and red tape of setting up a new hunting camp would be obviously higher and less attractive.

That was
Some great hunting
Got to hunt there and memories are priceless

quote:

Originally posted by vvreddy:

quote:

The camp is to be demolished by the end of next month because Zimparks has indicated that its continued presence is not in their plans,”

Why would the Frankfurt Zoological Society managing the park want to demolish a lovely camp on the bank of the river instead of renovating it for their photo tourism initiatives? Since the only infrastructure nearby is a bare campground near the airstrip?

Sounds to me like a determined plan to destroy the infrastructure on communal land so that if the local community changed their mind and decided to revert to hunting the cost barrier and red tape of setting up a new hunting camp would be obviously higher and less attractive.

They might also be of the opinion that the existing camp does not meet their standards and may have plans to build a 5-Star lodge in its place.

Possibly the same mindset as removing Confederate monuments as if hunting there never occurred there.

It's a real shame to see the end of a wonderful hunting area. I have very fond memories of Malapati.

I have stayed out of the fray on the collared elephant thread, but there was discussion there regarding Malapati and the deal to go to FZS being all Nixon's fault. The assertion was that FZS was not anti-hunting and that Malapati would be available in the future as a safari area. I hunted Naivasha last May and the operator there told me that Hugo, who runs the park on behalf of FZS, was constantly approaching the communities trying to revert all of the adjacent safari areas to non-consumptive use. Looks like FZS are not our friends.

Three questions:

1. Is the $30,000 similar to the amount the RDC was getting from hunting?
2. This is a "head office" deal, so will the $30,000 reach the rural folks or will it be used for a new SUV for the Parks D-G?
3. Is the $30,000 inclusive of money needed for anti-poaching, or will an extra allowance be made to counter that, now greater, threat?