By Thupeyo Muleya
VILLAGERS living in Beitbridge West (Ward 8) along Shashe River, separating Zimbabwe and Botswana, claim their livestock that stray into Botswana are being fed to lions and hyenas by game rangers at Charter Game Reserve.
The border is not clearly defined and villagers who attempt to retrieve their cattle which stray into Botswana are arrested and deported through Plumtree Border Post.
In separate interviews last Friday, the villagers alleged that the game rangers were feeding their stray livestock to wild animals while others were being starved to death.
They said in some instances, the rangers would detain the livestock for two weeks without feeding.
It is understood they then release them to wild animals while others die on their way to Zimbabwe as a result of dehydration and hunger.
One of the disgruntled villagers of Shashe area, Mr Isaac Tlou said: "The situation here is frustrating. When we try to track our livestock to the game park; we are arrested and assaulted as poachers.
"If you are lucky you will be assaulted and released, but in other cases you will be handed over to police at Plumtree Border.
"A number of people have lost their cattle and donkeys, which are being fed to the lions. As villagers, we are appealing to traditional leaders and Government to intervene because this has been going on for some time," he said.
Mr Tlou said one of his cousins was recently assaulted by the game rangers while tracking his herd of 10 beasts that had strayed into Botswana.
He said the worst affected villagers were those from Shashe, Limpopo and Jalukanga areas.
Another villager from Limpopo area, Mr Tambulo Mbedzi, said he lost three beasts early this year when they died of hunger after being detained for a week in the game park.
He said at times the game rangers would slaughter some of the cattle for meat.
A senior official from the Department of Livestock Production in the area confirmed the developments, adding they were still consulting with traditional leaders on the way forward.
There has been an outcry from villagers living on the boundary with both Botswana (in the west) and South Africa (in the east of Beitbridge District) over the conduct of veterinary officers and game rangers in parks on these areas.
In 2008 villagers living in the Madimbo corridor along the Limpopo River teamed up with veterinary officers from their country (South Africa) to shoot hundreds of Zimbabwean cattle that had strayed into that country accusing them of spreading foot and mouth.
However, the Zimbabweans accuse their counterparts of fuelling cases of stock theft in that area.
No comment could be obtained from the Botswana side.
herald 21 september 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Beitbridge:On the Border of Real Transformation
By Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge— Soon after independence, the Government undertook to develop all areas that were previously viewed as remote by successive settler regimes.
Very few people would remember when the then Beitbridge growth point was granted town status, as most were fast to dismiss it as an underdeveloped rural outpost.
However, in July 2006 the Government through the National Economic Development Priority Programme (NEDPP), then co-ordinated by Vice president Joice Mujuru sought to give this place a new face.
The resultant massive civil works programme seeks to facelift the once neglected growth point into a medium city. It is in this regard that President Mugabe officially launched the Beitbridge redevelopment exercise saying the Government wanted to turn it into a modern medium city.
The ministries of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development and that of Public Works were thus tasked by Cabinet to oversee the implementation of the project.
Under the programme, 16 blocks of flats to house 64 families mainly middle class civil servants, 250 core houses that would be for home ownership, 52 F14 houses for civil servants, road dualisation, upgrading water supply and sewer infrastructure in the town.
Furthermore, there is also the construction of other institutional facilities, namely a hospital, a primary school, a secondary school, civic centre, government composite office block, modern truck inn, shopping complex, a five-star hotel, an aerodrome and the upgrading of the current border post to meet world class standards.
This ambitious project has raised hope among Beitbridge residents and other people across the country and the continent. Two-thirds of these projects are nearing completion, while others have been completed and some are at various stages of construction.
In light of this development, the Government granted the border post town status in April 2006. According to the 2002 population census, the town had a population of 22 387 and an estimated 2 570 houses in formal settlements (primarily for government officials and mid-level private sector staff) and 3 000 in informal settlements.
This number has since increased due to the town's proximity to South Africa and its status as one of the busiest ports of entry in Sub Saharan Africa. Furthermore, the population started increasing following the construction of the Alfred Beit-Bridge in 1929 and the New Limpopo Bridge in 1995. Beitbridge town is frequented by people from many countries, with at least 25 000 of them passing through it daily.
Nearly 4 000 heavy trucks also use the border post every day. In a bid to speed up the redevelopment exercise, the Ministry of Local Government then appointed a six member commission to oversee and run the project on July 6, 2006.
The Commission's mandate included the de-linking of the urban and rural set ups and the sharing of assets, the delimitation of urban and rural boundaries and identifying capital projects for the border town. It was also to come up with an administrative structure and to work with the rural district council in addressing other cross-cutting issues. Their tenure expired in 2008 when a new town council headed by Dr Sipho Singo was put in place.
Former Beitbridge Commission secretary Mr Mandla Donga said the project was progressing at a snail's pace due to the resource constraints, but was quick to point out that the government was still committed to the project.
"The Government has still the zeal to complete the project and you will realise that a lot of strides have been made towards achieving a total uplift of the town from its former being. At the moment we do not have enough money to steer the project, but we have undertaken to implement it until its completion.
"This programme has raised hopes among citizens across the country and to that effect we will not abandon the project.
"A lot of civil works are underway and those are being constructed on priority basis-especially on the housing of civil servants, a state of the art truck inn and a hotel and government composite complex.
"The progress might be slow, but we are still in line with towards its completion. Since we kick-started in 2006 a lot of face-lifting of the town have been done people can see for themselves.
"Most roads have been tarred while others were resurfaced and furthermore the local authority is also working under that same town redevelopment framework crafted under the NEDPP", he said.
Mr Donga added that the expansion and re-organisation of Beitbridge will help boost tourism and the country's image saying that the town was a preface of the Zimbabwe to people coming in through South Africa. He said, had resources been readily available most of the civil works could have been completed by the end of last year.
It is understood the government would need US$10 732 200 to complete the out-standing civil works. In a recent interview, Mrs Theresa Makone who had been overseeing the programme early this year before being moved from the Ministry of Public Works to that of Home Affairs, said the money would be used to cover civil works such as roads, water and sewer reticulation.
"A financial allocation of US$175 000,00 was made by the treasury in October 2009 and was used to make the 52 F14 houses habitable. "To date we have managed to complete 24 by F14 houses, which are connected to temporary septic tanks and are now ready for occupation.
"A further 28 by F14 houses are between 70 percent and 90 percent complete and all the necessary items such as plumbing, sewer, painting and water reticulation are in progress," she said.
She added that the ministry of public works was also allocated US$450 000 in the fiscal budget last year and they expected the bulk of it to be used on housing projects
Beitbridge Town Secretary, Dr Sipho Singo said the local authority was incapacitated in terms of implementing some of its capital projects hence the need to bring other players on board.
He said they were facing a host of challenges in areas of water sanitation, sewer reticulation, solid waste management and providing adequate accommodation.
"We are just a small town council which is incapacitated -- the only way we can succeed in improving service delivery is through public private partnership. We want to adopt a multi-stakeholders approach in developing the town into a medium modern city.
"You will realise that we have luminaries in the cities, towns and foreign land and we want them to realise that Beitbridge is their home and that is where they need to put their money.
"At the moment we have struck a deal with Zimre who are going to put up flats around the town as we move in to ease accommodation problems. So far we have completed surveying over 8 000 residential stands and are still negotiating with other companies to service the land. We expect work to commence early next year" he said.
Dr Singo added that the local authority had completed the survey of 600 high density and 2 000 low density residential stands saying they would need investors to service that land. He said the newly formed Beitbridge Town Council was still finding its feet since the border post was granted town status in April 2006.
Hew added that there were a lot of opportunities in the fields of provision of accommodation, light industries, manufacturing, warehousing, and the upgrading of the sewer and water reticulation facilities among other things.
Dr Singo said some investors could also take advantage of the availability of the Export Processing Zone in the town and establish their industries.
"As the town council we have a public private partnership concept which has since been embraced by the Government and we are committed to fostering development in our area," he said.
He also called on private players and the business communities to join hands with the local authority in championing development in areas such as the road network, refuse collection, street lighting and the construction of a fire station. Beitbridge town has no fire station and relies on the service of the one in Musina, South Africa in cases of emergency.
He said they were still negotiating with two other NGOs which wanted to construct the new main bus terminus (Dulibadzimu). The current rank is in a low lying area which is water logged during much of the rainy season. Dr Singo said plans to move out truck ports from the CBD area were at an advanced stage
"We are still negotiating with other investors who want to establish a massive brick moulding plant and others who want to venture into other sectors," he said.
Beitbridge East House of Assembly Member Cde Kembo Mohadi who is also the Home Affairs co-Minister is on record saying the Redevelopment programme was still on the right track as the Government was in the midst of mobilising resources to fulfil their mission.
Only time will tell when this project will be fully implemented though many people feel it is the only way the town can be face-lifted.
Published by The Herald 7 September 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Two Countries Marathon called off
From Thupeyo Muleya in Beitbridge
WHAT was supposed to be the fifth edition of the Two Countries Marathon, featuring athletes from Zimbabwe and South Africa, has been called off after the organisers failed to get a sponsor for the event.
The event, which is a culmination of a 1996 twinning agreement between Beitbridge and Musina Municipality of South Africa, has traditionally been held in September every year.
Over 300 athletes from both countries used to take part in this event annually.
Zimbabwean athletes have dominated the event in both men and the women’s sections.
The race was probably the only one in the world in which athletes crossed frontiers.
Athletes would register for the race and clear immigration formalities before the race.
Limpopo’s athletes’ promoter Southpasernburg had been sponsoring the event for the past season, but could not commit their sponsorship this year.
A source within the organising committee in South Africa said they were still negotiating with other potential sponsors to hold the event next year.
“We failed to get enough money for co-ordinating the event this year and we are looking forward to holding a successful event next year,” he said.
Both municipalities and Limpopo’s Phalaphala FM have also been instrumental in organising the race.
Beitbridge Town Council acting director of housing and social services Mbongeleni Muleya confirmed the sad development.
“We have failed to get enough sponsorship and therefore we cannot hold the race this year,” said Muleya.
Under normal circumstances the marathon involves a 42-km race which starts at Nottingham Turn Off, 10-km out ofBeitbridge Town, and finishes at either at Freedom Park Stadium or Eric Louw High School on the South African side. There is also a 21km and 10km race.
Last year’s winners won floating trophies and cash prizes ranging between R1 500 and R3 600.
published by The Herald 11 September 2010
WHAT was supposed to be the fifth edition of the Two Countries Marathon, featuring athletes from Zimbabwe and South Africa, has been called off after the organisers failed to get a sponsor for the event.
The event, which is a culmination of a 1996 twinning agreement between Beitbridge and Musina Municipality of South Africa, has traditionally been held in September every year.
Over 300 athletes from both countries used to take part in this event annually.
Zimbabwean athletes have dominated the event in both men and the women’s sections.
The race was probably the only one in the world in which athletes crossed frontiers.
Athletes would register for the race and clear immigration formalities before the race.
Limpopo’s athletes’ promoter Southpasernburg had been sponsoring the event for the past season, but could not commit their sponsorship this year.
A source within the organising committee in South Africa said they were still negotiating with other potential sponsors to hold the event next year.
“We failed to get enough money for co-ordinating the event this year and we are looking forward to holding a successful event next year,” he said.
Both municipalities and Limpopo’s Phalaphala FM have also been instrumental in organising the race.
Beitbridge Town Council acting director of housing and social services Mbongeleni Muleya confirmed the sad development.
“We have failed to get enough sponsorship and therefore we cannot hold the race this year,” said Muleya.
Under normal circumstances the marathon involves a 42-km race which starts at Nottingham Turn Off, 10-km out ofBeitbridge Town, and finishes at either at Freedom Park Stadium or Eric Louw High School on the South African side. There is also a 21km and 10km race.
Last year’s winners won floating trophies and cash prizes ranging between R1 500 and R3 600.
published by The Herald 11 September 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
‘Agriculture key to economic success’
By Thupeyo Muleya
Government is committed to developing irrigation schemes in communal lands with underutilised dams and perennial rivers to ensure food security at household level, a Cabinet Minister said last Friday.
Beitbridge East Member of the House of Assembly Cde Kembo Mohadi made the remarks at a field day at River Ranch irrigation scheme in Beitbridge.
He said: "Agriculture has been observed as the vehicle for turning around the economy, besides addressing national food self-sufficiency thereby reducing food imports.
"A lot of money can be generated through the export of agricultural products.
"Government acknowledges the role irrigation plays in drought mitigation as well as its immense contribution to the national agricultural productivity.
"With irrigation, agricultural production has been increased and stabilised in the high-risk areas and has permitted an expansion of the cropping period to two or three crops per year thereby raising incomes of beneficiaries," said Cde Mohadi.
River Ranch irrigation scheme has 40 plot holders and is still undergoing expansion from the current 20 hectares to 41,5 through the Smallholder Micro-irrigation Development Support programme.
The scheme is a bilateral agreement between Government and the European Commission.
The EC has released 125 000 euro for the project, which started last year and will see 1 800ha put under irrigation by the end of 2011.
Government and farmers will contribute 25 percent of the money needed to capacitate the irrigation scheme.
"This programme is focusing on small-holder irrigation development and food security in supporting poor farmers, undeveloped and disadvantaged communities particularly smallholder farmers in dry regions of Matabeleland South Province," Cde Mohadi said.
He said so far the programme had funded and developed River Ranch (Beitbridge) and Moza extension in Bulilima, while other projects had been lined up.
The MP said, "As farmers, you must strive for self-sufficiency. You must get linked to output and input markets.
"It is not wise for you to wait for Government inputs every season or start blaming Government for delayed distribution of inputs."
To date, the project has seen 900ha of land put under irrigation countrywide.
published by The Herald 30 August 2010
Government is committed to developing irrigation schemes in communal lands with underutilised dams and perennial rivers to ensure food security at household level, a Cabinet Minister said last Friday.
Beitbridge East Member of the House of Assembly Cde Kembo Mohadi made the remarks at a field day at River Ranch irrigation scheme in Beitbridge.
He said: "Agriculture has been observed as the vehicle for turning around the economy, besides addressing national food self-sufficiency thereby reducing food imports.
"A lot of money can be generated through the export of agricultural products.
"Government acknowledges the role irrigation plays in drought mitigation as well as its immense contribution to the national agricultural productivity.
"With irrigation, agricultural production has been increased and stabilised in the high-risk areas and has permitted an expansion of the cropping period to two or three crops per year thereby raising incomes of beneficiaries," said Cde Mohadi.
River Ranch irrigation scheme has 40 plot holders and is still undergoing expansion from the current 20 hectares to 41,5 through the Smallholder Micro-irrigation Development Support programme.
The scheme is a bilateral agreement between Government and the European Commission.
The EC has released 125 000 euro for the project, which started last year and will see 1 800ha put under irrigation by the end of 2011.
Government and farmers will contribute 25 percent of the money needed to capacitate the irrigation scheme.
"This programme is focusing on small-holder irrigation development and food security in supporting poor farmers, undeveloped and disadvantaged communities particularly smallholder farmers in dry regions of Matabeleland South Province," Cde Mohadi said.
He said so far the programme had funded and developed River Ranch (Beitbridge) and Moza extension in Bulilima, while other projects had been lined up.
The MP said, "As farmers, you must strive for self-sufficiency. You must get linked to output and input markets.
"It is not wise for you to wait for Government inputs every season or start blaming Government for delayed distribution of inputs."
To date, the project has seen 900ha of land put under irrigation countrywide.
published by The Herald 30 August 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Fault plunges Beitbridge into darkness
By Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge town was plunged into darkness for five days last week following a major technical fault at Triangle feeder that affected power supply to the area.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority spokesman Mr Fullard Gwasira said engineers from the power utility worked round the clock to rectify the problem.
Normal power supply only resumed on Saturday after Tuesday’s blackout.
The power outage also triggered an acute water shortage in Beitbridge town as alternative power sources failed to cope with demand.
The only Zimbabwe National Water Authority treatment plant in Beitbridge relies on electricity to pump water to consumers.
The local authority has also been failing to meet the daily water demands for one of the busiest ports of entry in Southern Africa.
Zinwa has been operating on an emergency system basis and has been pumping a third of the 15 000 cubic metres of water needed per day.
Many tapes ran dry last Tuesday night forcing people to make use of the 32 boreholes drilled at strategic points around the town by the town council at the height of the cholera outbreak in 2008.
The town last had power supplies on Tuesday afternoon and since then most businesses and households had been relying on generators for electricity.
The border post and the district hospital and other essential service providers had also to run on generators.
"There is a fault along the Triangle feeder, which supplies Beitbridge with power and our engineers are working round the clock to restore power to the town.
"You will realise that the feeder has continuously been having problems on joins on the electricity supply cables. The feeder was struck by lighting some time last year and we have been battling to replace the damaged joins and since then, we have been making use of temporary cable joiners. Thus the joins would burn if put to severe strain because of the workload.
"However, we are in the midst of acquiring the permanent joiners as a lasting solution to the problem. Our consumers should bear with us as the engineers have assured us that by the end of the day power supplies would have been restored to the town," said Mr Gwasira last week.
He said Zesa engineers were in the midst of repairing and installing several electricity cables, which had been vandalised.
"We, however, do not do three day load shedding programmes. This happens if there is a fault along the cables or feeders and is not reported to our deports. Currently, we are repairing and replacing some of the cables, which were vandalised by copper cable thieves in most areas where there are constant power supply problems," he said.
Last year, the Government spent US$58 million in replacing electricity supply cables throughout the country with most of them having been vandalised by copper cable thieves.
Published by The Herald 30 August 2010
Beitbridge town was plunged into darkness for five days last week following a major technical fault at Triangle feeder that affected power supply to the area.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority spokesman Mr Fullard Gwasira said engineers from the power utility worked round the clock to rectify the problem.
Normal power supply only resumed on Saturday after Tuesday’s blackout.
The power outage also triggered an acute water shortage in Beitbridge town as alternative power sources failed to cope with demand.
The only Zimbabwe National Water Authority treatment plant in Beitbridge relies on electricity to pump water to consumers.
The local authority has also been failing to meet the daily water demands for one of the busiest ports of entry in Southern Africa.
Zinwa has been operating on an emergency system basis and has been pumping a third of the 15 000 cubic metres of water needed per day.
Many tapes ran dry last Tuesday night forcing people to make use of the 32 boreholes drilled at strategic points around the town by the town council at the height of the cholera outbreak in 2008.
The town last had power supplies on Tuesday afternoon and since then most businesses and households had been relying on generators for electricity.
The border post and the district hospital and other essential service providers had also to run on generators.
"There is a fault along the Triangle feeder, which supplies Beitbridge with power and our engineers are working round the clock to restore power to the town.
"You will realise that the feeder has continuously been having problems on joins on the electricity supply cables. The feeder was struck by lighting some time last year and we have been battling to replace the damaged joins and since then, we have been making use of temporary cable joiners. Thus the joins would burn if put to severe strain because of the workload.
"However, we are in the midst of acquiring the permanent joiners as a lasting solution to the problem. Our consumers should bear with us as the engineers have assured us that by the end of the day power supplies would have been restored to the town," said Mr Gwasira last week.
He said Zesa engineers were in the midst of repairing and installing several electricity cables, which had been vandalised.
"We, however, do not do three day load shedding programmes. This happens if there is a fault along the cables or feeders and is not reported to our deports. Currently, we are repairing and replacing some of the cables, which were vandalised by copper cable thieves in most areas where there are constant power supply problems," he said.
Last year, the Government spent US$58 million in replacing electricity supply cables throughout the country with most of them having been vandalised by copper cable thieves.
Published by The Herald 30 August 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Foot and mouth hits Beitbridge
By Thupeyo Muleya in BEITBRIDGE
Beitbridge District has been hit by a foot-and-mouth outbreak that is suspected to have originated from 25 buffaloes that strayed into Zimbabwe from South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
The outbreak has been noted in the eastern part of the border town in Tshikwalakwala.
The Veterinary Services Department is said to be on high alert following the detection of cases in Tshikwala-kwala, Malungudzi and the Malipati areas of Chiredzi.
It is believed the buffaloes strayed into Zimbabwe earlier this year and had contact with cattle in Tshikwala-kwala.
The disease then spread through movements of livestock for sale.
A senior veterinary officer in Matabeleland South said they started dealing with the problem a fortnight ago at a cattle auction in Lutumba in ward five.
Isolated cases have been recorded in Chamnanga and Jopembe in Beitbridge West.
"Preliminary investigations reveal that the disease spread across Beitbridge east after stray buffaloes from South Africa mixed with herds of cattle. It then spread to other areas during cattle sales. We have started vaccinations and we have enough manpower to carry out the task.
"The whole district has now been put under quarantine until the situation gets back to normal," said the official.
He urged people to bring all their livestock for vaccination. Beitbridge district falls under agricultural natural region five where animal husbandry is paramount.
Deputy field director in the Vet Department, Dr Chenjerai Njagu, could neither confirm nor deny the outbreak and referred all questions to the principal veterinary services director, who was not reachable for comment.
In 2007, there was a stand-off between Zimbabwean villagers and those in South Africa in the Madimbo corridor near the Limpopo River when the latter teamed up with a white veterinary officer and shot scores of cattle belonging to the former.
They argued that the cattle were spreading foot and mouth into South Africa.
Villagers from both sides of the river also accuse each other of stock theft.
source, The Herald 23 August 2010
www.herald.co.zw
Beitbridge District has been hit by a foot-and-mouth outbreak that is suspected to have originated from 25 buffaloes that strayed into Zimbabwe from South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
The outbreak has been noted in the eastern part of the border town in Tshikwalakwala.
The Veterinary Services Department is said to be on high alert following the detection of cases in Tshikwala-kwala, Malungudzi and the Malipati areas of Chiredzi.
It is believed the buffaloes strayed into Zimbabwe earlier this year and had contact with cattle in Tshikwala-kwala.
The disease then spread through movements of livestock for sale.
A senior veterinary officer in Matabeleland South said they started dealing with the problem a fortnight ago at a cattle auction in Lutumba in ward five.
Isolated cases have been recorded in Chamnanga and Jopembe in Beitbridge West.
"Preliminary investigations reveal that the disease spread across Beitbridge east after stray buffaloes from South Africa mixed with herds of cattle. It then spread to other areas during cattle sales. We have started vaccinations and we have enough manpower to carry out the task.
"The whole district has now been put under quarantine until the situation gets back to normal," said the official.
He urged people to bring all their livestock for vaccination. Beitbridge district falls under agricultural natural region five where animal husbandry is paramount.
Deputy field director in the Vet Department, Dr Chenjerai Njagu, could neither confirm nor deny the outbreak and referred all questions to the principal veterinary services director, who was not reachable for comment.
In 2007, there was a stand-off between Zimbabwean villagers and those in South Africa in the Madimbo corridor near the Limpopo River when the latter teamed up with a white veterinary officer and shot scores of cattle belonging to the former.
They argued that the cattle were spreading foot and mouth into South Africa.
Villagers from both sides of the river also accuse each other of stock theft.
source, The Herald 23 August 2010
www.herald.co.zw
Friday, August 13, 2010
Preserve natural resources: Nhema
By Thupeyo Muleya
Minister of Natural Resources Management Francis Nhema has urged communities living within transfrontier conservation areas to take an active role in preserving their natural and cultural resources.
He said a well-managed natural environment was beneficial to communities and the nation.
Minister Nhema made the remarks while addressing delegates and 600 cyclists and journalists from 19 countries at one of their rest camps at Sentinel Ranch last Friday night.
The tourists were here for the second edition of the Tour De Tuli cycling/mountain bike expedition that encompasses Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.
This year’s theme was "Using Adventure to Build a Better World".
The minister commended the tourists for taking an interest in Zimbabwe and challenged them to be ambassadors of the country when they returned home.
The expedition was previously the preserve of Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa under the banner Tour de Kruger.
Minister Nhema reiterated that Government was committed to see Tour de Tuli growing from strength to strength.
"I am, therefore, convinced that your chosen routes offered you excellent opportunities for game viewing and learning about a rich ancestral and colonial history as well as a vibrant cultural heritage.
"I am quite certain that you came face to face with our history, nature and culture and interact with our communities living in and around the TFCA.
"With all the experience you have had here I hope you will be our ambassadors and share the good messages when you get back to your countries."
Minister Nhema also received a donation of 40 lap desks for rural schools.
"This donation comes in the wake of efforts by stakeholders to try and assist in the rehabilitation of Shashe Irrigation Scheme for the Maramani community. Our cultural and biological diversity heritage will be the ultimate winner," he said.
NGO the Children in the Wilderness donated the desks.
The Tourism Ministry through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority organised the expedition.
The tourists paid R12 000 registration fees to participate and the money will be shared between Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.
A third of the proceeds will be chanelled towards self-sustenance programmers for communities and disadvantaged children living within the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA.
The cycling showpiece started in the Tuli Circle between Botswana and Zimbabwe on August 5 and ended three days later between Zimbabwe and South Africa in the area once occupied by the Mapungubwe Kingdom.
Children in the Wilderness organiser Mr Blessing Munyanyiwa described the show as a great success adding that their target for next year was 700 participants.
The 2009 edition attracted 250 tourists.
source The Herald 13 August 2010
Minister of Natural Resources Management Francis Nhema has urged communities living within transfrontier conservation areas to take an active role in preserving their natural and cultural resources.
He said a well-managed natural environment was beneficial to communities and the nation.
Minister Nhema made the remarks while addressing delegates and 600 cyclists and journalists from 19 countries at one of their rest camps at Sentinel Ranch last Friday night.
The tourists were here for the second edition of the Tour De Tuli cycling/mountain bike expedition that encompasses Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.
This year’s theme was "Using Adventure to Build a Better World".
The minister commended the tourists for taking an interest in Zimbabwe and challenged them to be ambassadors of the country when they returned home.
The expedition was previously the preserve of Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa under the banner Tour de Kruger.
Minister Nhema reiterated that Government was committed to see Tour de Tuli growing from strength to strength.
"I am, therefore, convinced that your chosen routes offered you excellent opportunities for game viewing and learning about a rich ancestral and colonial history as well as a vibrant cultural heritage.
"I am quite certain that you came face to face with our history, nature and culture and interact with our communities living in and around the TFCA.
"With all the experience you have had here I hope you will be our ambassadors and share the good messages when you get back to your countries."
Minister Nhema also received a donation of 40 lap desks for rural schools.
"This donation comes in the wake of efforts by stakeholders to try and assist in the rehabilitation of Shashe Irrigation Scheme for the Maramani community. Our cultural and biological diversity heritage will be the ultimate winner," he said.
NGO the Children in the Wilderness donated the desks.
The Tourism Ministry through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority organised the expedition.
The tourists paid R12 000 registration fees to participate and the money will be shared between Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.
A third of the proceeds will be chanelled towards self-sustenance programmers for communities and disadvantaged children living within the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA.
The cycling showpiece started in the Tuli Circle between Botswana and Zimbabwe on August 5 and ended three days later between Zimbabwe and South Africa in the area once occupied by the Mapungubwe Kingdom.
Children in the Wilderness organiser Mr Blessing Munyanyiwa described the show as a great success adding that their target for next year was 700 participants.
The 2009 edition attracted 250 tourists.
source The Herald 13 August 2010
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