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Victoria Falls tourism execs in 35 days charity cycling trip

Published

3 years ago

February 7, 2023

BY STAFF REPORTER

Mike Davis of Shearwater and Mike Johnson of the Bayethe Collection have embarked on a rare cycling trip covering 3 000 km between Victoria Falls and Cape Town to raise about 20 000 Pounds for educational charity.

The two started the journey nine days ago from Victoria Falls and expect to reach Cape Town after 35 days and to have raised 20 000 Pounds to be used for educating vulnerable children in Victoria Falls.

Mike Davis is Shearwater chief executive officer while Mike Johnson is co-owner of Bayethe Collection.

They have named their initiative 2MadMikes on Bikes.

“Mike Davis and Mike Johnson are currently cycling on a 3 000 km journey between Victoria Falls and Cape Town to raise 20 000 Pound to fund education for children in need within Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe community,” they posted on an Instagram page.

They said they covered 750 km from Victoria Falls to Rundu in Namibia in the first week, raising over 6 000 Pounds.

The duo said the trip is a mid-life crisis thing traversing parts of four countries.

Their story

“We are Mike Davis and Mike Johnson, two slightly overweight, mid-life crisis-afflicted individuals known more for our hedonistic lifestyles than for our feats of endurance.

But we have thrown ourselves into a “New Year; new me” mentality and undertaken a “Grand Cycle Tour” from

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe to Cape Town, South Africa.

“Leaving on 1st February 2023 from our homes in Victoria Falls, our epic cycle tour will take us 35 days, through four countries and over a distance of approximately 3 000 km to the finish line in the Fair Cape,” they said.

They said with the help of the local school system, council wards and communities, they had identified children who are unable to afford school fees.

Annual school fees for an ordinary child is about US$150, the duo said.

“We would appreciate as much or as little as you are able to donate and for every US$150 we raise, you will be sending a child to school for a year. It might be small but it is a fundamental step to helping children change their prospects by breaking the no-education; no-employment cycle.” they added.

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Cabinet approves review of tourism levies, licenses and fees

Published

3 hours ago

August 27, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Cabinet has approved a review of levies, licences, fees, and permits of tourism sector , aimed at streamlining the regulatory environment and enhancing competitiveness.

The announcement was made during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet briefing, attended by Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi.

The review, conducted through a consultative process, covered various subsectors, including accommodation, hospitality and catering, tour guides and operators, boating services, and vehicle rental services.

Previously, these subsectors were constrained by a complex regulatory environment, which the review aims to simplify by removing unjustifiable licences and permits, streamlining duplicative requirements, and reducing excessively high fees and levies.

Significantly, the review introduces a range of reductions, with some fees being cut by 25-50% and others scrapped off completely.

The reviewed instruments will undergo further refinement to ensure they fully support a competitive and thriving tourism industry.

This reform is part of the broader ease-of-doing-business agenda, designed to lower operational costs, enhance competitiveness, and drive sustainable growth in Zimbabwe’s economy.

The tourism sector is one of Zimbabwe’s key drivers of economic growth, and this development is expected to provide a significant boost to the industry.

Source: Zimbabwe Tourism Authority

In the community

Hwange duo sentenced to 26 months for wildlife crimes

Published

3 hours ago

August 27, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Two Hwange men have been sentenced to 26 months imprisonment for setting 49 wire snares, including 48 class one snares, in Sinamatela Game Park, resulting in the killing of one impala and two female kudus, with a total value of US$6 000 worth of dried game meat.

Lungisani Moyo (38) and Joel Nyathi (27), both from Madumabisa Village, were convicted of contravening the Trapping of Animal Control Act.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the state presented a case that the two unlawfully set the snares this month, resulting in the illegal killing of one impala and two female kudus.

The matter came to light after a joint patrol by police and Zim-Parks officers intercepted a man in the Lwendulu area carrying a suspicious black bag. Upon searching him, authorities recovered 12 bundles of dried game meat.

Upon probe, the man led officers to Moyo’s residence, where further illegal game products were discovered.

Subsequent searches at both Moyo and Nyathi’s homes yielded a total of 22 bundles of dried game meat, kudu hooves, intestines, and other animal parts.

Police investigations confirmed the use of wire snares to hunt the animals within protected parkland.

The total value of the poached wildlife is US$6 000.

Of the 26-month sentence, 10 months were suspended for five years, leaving the two to serve an effective 16 months imprisonment.