Mpumalanga On Drive to Lure Blacks Into Lucrative Hunting Industry
News (Pretoria)

July 12, 2004
Posted to the web July 12, 2004

Thandee N'wa Mhangwana
Nelspruit

Mpumalanga is on a drive to create more black professional hunters and transform the country's multi-billion Rand, white-dominated hunting industry.

Some 9 000 foreign hunters visit South Africa each year, and generated R1 billion last year.


This excludes the money made from local hunters, according to the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa.

The Mpumalanga Parks Board (MPB) started training up 30 candidates at the Songimvelo game reserve last month, to get more blacks to tap into this lucrative market.

"The reality is that there are few if any black hunting outfitters and the industry is certainly white, male-dominated," said MPB spokesperson Jimmy Masombuka this week.

"We took the challenge to address this anomaly."

He said that each year, only white hunting outfitters responded to the MPB's public invitations to tender for professional hunting packages.

So, earlier this year, the MPB advertised its first professional hunting training course aimed at black people interested in breaking into the industry.

The list of applicants was honed down to 30, who underwent the first phase of intensive training between June 18 and 28.

The training started at the crack of dawn and includes firearm handling, shooting, trophy skinning, animal tracking, basic ecology, hunting ethics and first aid.

They were also taught public relations, marketing strategies and handling clients.

"We were taught things such as the importance walking downwind, so the animals can't smell you, and to keep the sun at your back to make sure you're not blinded," said one trainee, Dalson Ngomane, who is now waiting for his results.

Mr Ngomane said the shooting lessons stressed the importance of not hitting the animal in the head, so as not to damage the trophy because, once killed, the animals' heads are usually mounted for display on the hunters' walls.

The trainees were advised to make a single, fatal shot to the animal's spinal cord, heart or lungs.

"If you miss, that could be the end of your life or your client's," said Mr Ngomane.

He said blacks could be as good as white hunting outfitters, as many blacks had already proven their ability as sharp-eyed trackers in private and state game reserves.


The MPB will place those candidates who pass the course in hunting outfits around the province for practical training.

"It will be like an internship where they can learn everything they need to know about the business," said Masombuka.

Its not a concept its a joke...

Eric,

I caught that one too.

There was a statistic going around in California a few years back that every seventh adult citizen in California had a real estate license. I heard the same claim made recently about South Africa, except it was PH licenses.

I have an outfitter friend in Mpulalanga who takes PH interns on. It is an unpaid position of the craftsman tradition, and he starts them out as assistant trackers. Perhaps this will sort out the wind direction problem.

jim

If they start off with guys that are already hunters eg trackers I can see some of these guys outdoing the whities. At least in the hunting and tracking skills.

It is interesting to watch trackers vs the PHs and see who is really leading who sometimes.

This course does sound extremely basic though. Is it one of the SAf two weeks and now you are a PH courses?

Like Peter, I also get a steady stream of phone calls and e-mails from young plastic PHs and wannabees looking for work, all of which get the (polite as possible) elbow.....but the funniest one I ever had was from a guy in the UK who had never shot, or owned a rifle and never been outside the UK, yet was under the impression that having a Masters degree in medieval history and running the university clay pigeon club for 6 months somehow qualified him for a position of PH with my company..... DOH!

.

Now all they need is a hunting rifle. What, with the new laws here they could qualify in two or three years. Or maybe they have a couple of those illegal ones already.

Dont kid yourself. This isnt about hunting. It is about race and it is about money. My guess is to level the playing field so to speak there will be a bunch of reverse discrimination added to the mix. Giving someone an opportunity is not the same thing as forcing an artifical change. It will be interesting to see where this goes.



Oh yeah, I loved the downwind statement as well. Makes me feel secure.

[quote They cannot be FORCED into the industry as it is mainly private....maybe they can help hunting in the Limpopo national parks. I don't think such initiatives should be downplayed, if hunting were promoted in other African countries too maybe RSA wouldn't be so dominant.

---

Of course the government can force private companies to hire based on other than merit. "Hmmm, Mr. Outfitter I see here that you don't have a racially balanced staff; I am afraid we will hold up your business license and export permits until you fix that egregious problem".

jim

Don't forget that Africa has some 1st rate black PHs. The problem with these guys will probably not be the colour of their skin, but be (probably) based more on the fact that they won't be global in their outlook and will find it extremely difficult to associate socially with the clients.

They could well be excellent hunters, but there's a lot more to being a good PH than just being able to hunt.

The Zulu tracker (Temba) I've hunted with for the last two trips, with some help, would make a dandy PH. Has good social skills and a great spotter, tracker and judge of trophy quality animals.

Steve, I dont have aproblem with their colour. I do have a problem with forcing this kind of change. It cant be good for anyone especially those black ph's with a good reputation. It substitutes race for experience and talent. No doubt some of these guys will be top rate as are the black ph's and trackers I have met. The others however will be another story. Just look what some of this kind of change has done for other professions in RSA. I dont disagree with the purported goals just the methods. As I said before giving opportunity is not the same thing as just giving out a bunch of credentials. I have a problem with giving a license to the 2 week wonder white africans as well. You are absolutely right about their outlook and lack of relation to the clients. I of course agree that there is a whole lot more to being a ph than just hunting.

Mike Smith

In your two posts you have hit the nail on the head with your summary ...AMEN

RIP ... Peter

Read the latest...there will be hunting concessions granted in several Provincial Parks in Limpopo province, awarded by tender.

As with most other government contracts in RSA today, perhaps the oppressed MAJORITY will get favorable treatment.

So connect the dots. Government awards concessions in Parks. Government trains black PH's. Hmmmm...

I guess there will be even more white PHs looking for jobs going forward.

People need a leg-in by some means.

But of course they must also attract paying clients.