African Eye News Service articles from June 2003

African Eye News Service archives from June 2003

SOUTH AFRICA: VILLAGERS CASH IN ON PARK'S TOURISTS.
June 2, 2003... POLOKWANE, South Africa, Jun 2 (AENS) - South Africa's Limpopo province has opened a new tourism centre called The Valley of the Olifants (elephants). The thatched centre, which opened in Tzaneen along a popular road to the Kruger National...

SOUTH AFRICA: NEW LODGE OPENS IN DE KAAP VALLEY MOUNTAINS.
June 2, 2003... NELSPRUIT, South Africa, Jun 2 (AENS) - The new, five-star Umhloti Lodge has just opened its doors in a privately owned nature reserve on the outskirts of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. It has breathtaking views over the De Kaap Valley Mountains....

SOUTH AFRICA: KRUGER OPENS OFFICE AT NEW AIRPORT.
June 3, 2003... NELSPRUIT, South Africa, Jun 3 (AENS) - The Kruger National Park has just opened an information office at the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport to boost tourism to the world famous park. Officials will be able to answer any queries...

SOUTH AFRICA: CATERPILLAR AND CATFISH OFFERS A ZULU-STYLE NEW ORLEANS.
June 3, 2003... HARRISMITH, South Africa, Jun 3 (AENS) - Tourists travelling along Oliviershoek Pass near Harrismith will find the Caterpillar and Catfish Cookhouse, which offers a Zulu version of New Orleans. According to Tourism KwaZulu-Natal the food is...

SOUTH AFRICA: POLITICAL SOUVENIR SHOP TO BE ESTABLISHED IN MPUMALANGA.
June 10, 2003... NELSPRUIT, South Africa, Jun 10 (AENS) - Tourists will soon be able to buy political souvenirs at a public souvenir shop to be established at the provincial legislature in Mpumalanga. The complex boasts Mpumalanga's most comprehensive...

SOUTH AFRICA: KRUGER GETS R10M FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION.
June 10, 2003... SKUKUZA, South Africa, Jun 10 (AENS) - The Kruger National Park has received R10 million (about US$1.2 million) to help alleviate poverty in neighbouring communities. Most of the money, donated by the department of environmental affairs...

SOUTH AFRICA: KRUGER CLAMPS DOWN ON SPEED DEMONS.
June 11, 2003... SKUKUZA, South Africa, Jun 11 (AENS) - Speeding motorists who see rustling in bushes in the world famous Kruger National Park may be in for a nasty surprise. It won't be an enraged rhino storming out, but traffic cops determined to catch...

SOUTH AFRICA: ENDANGERED AFRICAN BIRD COULD BE A TOURIST DRAWCARD.
June 11, 2003... PIETERMARITZBURG, South Africa, Jun 11 (AENS) - One of Africa's most endangered birds may take a few steps back from the edge of extinction once a new international conservation action plan is implemented. There are under 2 500 of Spotted...

SOUTH AFRICA: SMALL PIECE OF MISTBELT HAS ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL.
June 12, 2003... BABANANGO, South Africa, (Jun 12) AENS - KwaZulu-Natal province's conservation agency, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, has announced a new misbelt conservancy area in the northern KZN region with enormous eco-tourism potential. The 1090ha piece of...

SOUTH AFRICA: BRITISH PRINCE TO OPEN NEW CAMP.
June 19, 2003... PRETORIA, South Africa, Jun 19 (AENS) - Britain's Prince Michael of Kent will officially open Kapama private game reserve's new elephant camp, Camp Jabulani, next Tuesday. The luxury camp in Limpopo province will offer guests close...

SOUTH AFRICA: BETTER ROAD TO LEISURE RESORT.
June 19, 2003... DURBAN, South Africa, Jun 19 (AENS) - The Gooderson Leisure Corporation in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province has announced that it will resurface the 29km stretch of dirt road to its Drakensberg Gardens Golf and Leisure Resort. The...

SOUTH AFRICA: SA TOURISM BOSS RESIGNS IN WAKE OF SEX CHARGES.
June 19, 2003... JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Jun 19 (AENS) - South Africa's top tourism representative in the United States, Solly Moeng, has resigned after being charged with sexual misconduct. Moeng, who headed South African Tourism's office in New York...

SOUTH AFRICA: MORE THAN 1,000 ANIMALS TO BE MOVED TO MOZAMBIQUE.
June 20, 2003... PRETORIA, South Africa, Jun 20 (AENS) - The Kruger National Park's game capture team is gearing up for another huge animal translocation programme as part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) initiative. More than 1 000 animals...

SOUTH AFRICA: GAMBLING TOWNSHIP STYLE.
June 20, 2003... NELSPRUIT, South Africa, Jun 20 (AENS) - Mammon, the god of riches, is being taken into Mpumalanga's townships disguised as a one-armed bandit called the "Gentle Giant". The limited payout machines are being distributed to shebeens and...

ZAMBIA: TOUR OPERATORS WANT MORE COMPETITION IN ZAMBIA.
June 24, 2003... LUSAKA, Zambia, Jun 24 (AENS) - Tour operators in Zambia are demanding speedy enactment of the tourism and hospitality bill to encourage competition and improved services. Josephine Meyer of the Tourism Council of Zambia said the bill had...

SOUTH AFRICA: RARE CAPE HUNTING DOGS RELEASED INTO THE WILD.
June 24, 2003... GRAHAMSTOWN, South Africa, Jun 24 (AENS) - Five rare Cape hunting dogs have been introduced to Shamwari Game Reserve near Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. They are now the first "free-range" wild dogs in the Eastern Cape in more than 85...

SOUTH AFRICA: SA TOURISM BOSS SIDE-STEPS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT HEARING.
June 27, 2003... PRETORIA, South Africa, Jun 27 (AENS)- South Africa's top tourism representative in the United States, Solly Moeng, has managed to side-step a disciplinary hearing on multiple sexual misconduct charges. SA Tourism (SAT) spokeswoman Didi...

SOUTH AFRICA: DROUGHT AFFECTS TOURISM.
June 27, 2003... ST LUCIA, South Africa, Jun 27 (AENS)- The drought ravaging South Africa is threatening business, agriculture and tourism. Game farms are being sold at 40% less than usual, while world heritage site Lake St Lucia is currently a metre below...

SOUTH AFRICA: TRIBAL CLASHES OVER LUCRATIVE GAME RESERVE.
June 30, 2003... BUSHBUCKRIDGE, South Africa, Jun 30 (AENS) - The Mnisi clan in Limpopo believes it is being cheated out of its rightful inheritance to the Manyeleti game reserve because the land claims commission is also considering claims by two other tribes....

SOUTH AFRICA: COFFEE, ANYONE?
June 30, 2003... JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Jun 30 (AENS) - People passionate about coffee are being invited to help develop South Africa's first Coffee Route. Coffeegrinder CC is also establishing South Africa's first Coffee Association. The...