The Herald

Two safari operators under probe

By Jeffrey Gogo
THE National Parks and Wildlife Authority has launched an investigation into
the operations of two safari operators who include a top Harare businessman
and a South African national amid allegations that the two may have
prejudiced the country of millions of dollars through non-disclosure of
their hunting operations and proceeds.

Under the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe regulations, safari operators are
expected to declare foreign currency earnings through foreign currency
declaration forms known as CD1 forms which are available at commercial
banks.

Allegations levelled against the two safari operators stem from their
operations in the lucrative area in Matabeleland which boasts of thousands
of game.

It is alleged that a National Parks warden (name supplied) in an animal
sanctuary was last year paid over $30 million as bribe by the South African
businessman, "to turn a blind eye" on the illegal hunts that were being
undertaken by his company.

It emerged yesterday that the South African businessman is not registered in
the country as a legal safari operator.

The warden is understood to have granted the South African concessions to
hunt game that was not on the pre-hunt registration and directed proceeds
(trophies) of their efforts to South Africa through unorthodox means.

The South African hunter (name supplied) did not only transgress the country
's regulations by not paying the two percent hunting levy to the Zimbabwe
Tourism Authority, but allegedly bribed almost every personnel at the
wildlife site to cover up his illegal activities.

It is also alleged that several officials within the National Parks and
Wildlife Authority received kickbacks from the South African businessman so
as not to disclose information regarding his hunting activities.

Said the sources: "The tour operator shot a lion at Gwaai using lion calls
on a tape recorder. The businessman also poached leopards from several parts
of Matabeleland.

"The lion population has been drastically depreciating as a result of the
cat's poor mating habits."

The company is alleged to have been engaged in unregulated activities as
"pre-hunts were signed on a land-rover bonnet by torch light at night".

It is alleged that the South African, with the help of the top local
businessman (name supplied), managed to rubberstamp earnings made from the
hunts and misrepresented the company's income on foreign currency
declaration forms.

The local businessman is alleged to have been acting as a front for the
South African company in its foreign currency dealings, where millions of
dollars are understood to have been clandestinely siphoned out of the
country.

Efforts to get a comment from the South African businessman proved fruitless
yesterday.

However, the local businessman refused to comment on the matter and said, "I
shall call when I'm ready to comment."

National Parks and Wildlife director-general Dr Morris Mtsambiwa confirmed
the develop-ments.

"We have initiated investigations into this whole business of safari
operators," he said.

"We are working with the central bank in this process and we fear the
country could have lost substantial amounts of foreign currency in these
underhand deals.

"However, we are not certain how much money could have been lost, but
definitely, it runs into millions of dollars."

Dr Mtsambiwa said, "We are stern in these investigations and those involved
should be brought to book."

There are fears that the country could have lost billions of dollars in
foreign currency in the shady deals while the parks and wildlife authority
might also have been siphoned of substantial sums in income.

An elephant trophy now costs US$10 000, male buffalo US$1 200 and zebra
US$450.

The hunting industry has over the years been generating substantial sums of
foreign currency through hunting excursions, which have continued to attract
large numbers of foreign clients.

It has since emerged that proceeds, mostly in hard currency, were not finding their way into the official channel.

Who ?

OK, I'll bite. I don't know, of course, but my bet wouold be Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris - the Groenwalds.
Am I close???

Bill

I have no idea who the article is talking about. The newspaper article was posted exactly as it appeared. I thought maybe someone on AR had the inside track and could fill us in.

Kathi