In the community

‘Victoria Falls tourism firms have survived Covid-19 lockdowns’

Published

4 years ago

September 2, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) says no businesses in the tourism sector have been forced to shut down in Victoria Falls since national lockdowns to control the spread of Covid-19 came into force last year.

Zimbabwe’s tourism industry has been hit hard by the global curbs in travel due to the pandemic and Victoria Falls as the prime destination is home to many companies that were badly affected by the dip in tourist arrivals.

Godfrey Koti, ZTA spokesperson, said businesses in the resort city had stayed afloat during the pandemic.

“We are lucky at the moment because we haven’t seen any operator folding in Victoria Falls,” Koti told VicFallsLive.

“In other tourist places, for example, restaurants have shut down

“In Victoria Falls where they have remained open, the challenges that we have been hearing from them, especially the smaller players are that they want the registration fees and parks fees to be reduced.

“They also want some revenue payment plans to be put forward and looked at so that they can save jobs because that’s one thing that has been lost in a quite remarkable manner within the sector.”

Koti said the information on the number of job losses in the industry was not yet available, but he believes about 80 percent of the employees lost their jobs during the lockdowns in Victoria Falls.

“I don’t have the percentage for that region, but they are the leading city,” he said.

“Tourism employs plus or minus 120 000 people in the country, so we are not sure where we are exactly right now, but we are hoping that we haven’t gone above 20 percent job losses.”

According to findings of a recent study by We Are Victoria Falls, a local hospitality industry initiative, the Covid-19 lockdowns have affected 94 percent of the people employed in the sector.

It says 49 percent of workers in the tourism sector were forced to work reduced hours and to take pay cuts because of the lockdown that was imposed in March last year.

At least 18 percent of the workforce was forced to go on unpaid leave.

Koti said some jobs were saved by the ZTA domestic tourism campaign dubbed ZimBho, Vakatsha that was meant to encourage Zimbabweans to rediscover the country’s tourist attractions.

“Most of these jobs that remained were mainly because of the domestic drive that we had,” he added.

“So that sort of helped most players to stay afloat because there was a slow business that came their way.”

To promote Victoria Falls as a safe destination, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government made vaccines available to all eligible residents and an estimated 90 percent of the targeted 25 000 people have been vaccinated.

In the community

Human-wildlife conflict claims 18 lives in Zimbabwe’s first quarter

Published

3 weeks ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has reported a disturbing trend of human-wildlife conflict in the country’s first quarter of 2025. According to the authority, 18 people have lost their lives, and 32 others have been injured in encounters with wildlife.

ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo revealed that the authority received 579 cases of human-wildlife conflict, which they managed to respond to promptly. The incidents have also resulted in significant livestock losses, with at least 53 cattle and 85 goats killed by wildlife.

The districts most affected by these incidents include Binga, Hwange, Kariba, Chiredzi, Hurungwe, Nyaminyami, and Mbire. ZimParks has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about wildlife behaviors and effective preventive measures in these areas.

In response to the crisis, ZimParks has translocated 129 animals back into protected areas and eliminated 158 animals deemed problematic.

“We encourage communities to continue reporting incidents to ZimParks Problem Animal Control numbers and local leadership, such as Councillors, Traditional Leaders, and Rural District Council Authorities, to ensure that we preserve lives,” Farawo urged.

The significant increase in livestock losses, with cattle deaths rising from 18 to 53 and goat deaths from 21 to 85 compared to the same period in 2024, highlights the growing challenge of human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe.

ZimParks’ efforts to mitigate the conflict include community initiatives to educate people on managing wildlife encounters effectively.

In the community

Crocodile attacks claim 9 lives, injure 11

Published

2 months ago

March 13, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A surge in crocodile attacks has left a trail of death and destruction in Zimbabwe, with 9 fatalities and 11 injuries reported in the last two months.

According to a statement released by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), 49 human-crocodile conflict cases were recorded during the same period, resulting in the loss of 44 cattle and 60 goats.

The Mid-Zambezi region, which includes Lake Kariba, Angwa River, and Hunyani River, was the hardest hit, with 19 cases reported. The Central region recorded 14 cases, while 16 cases were reported in other areas, including Matopo, Harare, North-West Matabeleland, and South-East Low-veld.

ZimParks has urged communities to exercise extreme caution, especially around water bodies, during the current rain season. The authority has advised communities to ensure that livestock and children are not left unattended near rivers or lakes, and to take precautions when engaging in water activities such as fishing, swimming, and domestic chores.

To mitigate the situation, ZimParks is working closely with local authorities and conservation partners to raise public awareness and promote safety practices. The authority has emphasized its commitment to finding a balance between ensuring public safety and conserving wildlife.

As the situation continues to unfold, ZimParks has appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to report any crocodile sightings or attacks to the authorities.