Fundraising is under way for more improved surveillance and immediate reaction on the road to the Numbi Gate in the Kruger National Park (KNP) as part of a raft of additional measures to be implemented over the next two weeks to ensure the safety of tourists. 

About R1 million (€58 000) is needed to implement these measures and the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (KLCBT) is busy raising the funds. COO of the Chamber, Linda Grimbeek, is appealing to industry to assist where they can.

The new measures will supplement those already in play, including the deployment of private security patrols and cameras.

Grimbeek pointed out that, prior to the shocking fatal shooting of a German tourist last week, there had been no incidents against tourists on that road. 

“We have, since the incident, implemented massive additional measures and will roll out further measures. The result will be total coverage by live surveillance in the form of cameras, backed up by immediate reaction units and deployment of the latest technology to aid surveillance and swift reaction,” she explained.

KLCBT has offered a reward of R50 000 (€2 940) for information that will lead to the successful arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of last Monday’s crime. 

Reward offer generates leads

“Information on this reward was widely distributed in the communities, amongst sangomas (traditional healers) and the taxi associations and it is generating leads,” said Grimbeek.

This included the recovery of the getaway vehicle that was used in the attempted hijacking which led to the fatal shooting. Police Minister Bheki Cele also indicated that “persons of interest” had been taken in for questioning.

“We are very satisfied that we are very close to dealing with the matter now. We are very sure that, with the information we have found now, we are much better placed to crack the case,” Cele said earlier this week. 

Community should benefit from tourism

Grimbeek told Tourism Update that KLCBT was ready to roll out community tourism activities in the neighbouring villages.

“We would like to focus on that to ensure communities are benefiting from tourism activities around the Kruger. This will also help to reduce the very high unemployment rate in the area,” she said.

Tourism Update understands, from talking to numerous lodge and safari operators in the area, that during the COVID pandemic, many local community members lost their direct and indirect tourism-related jobs. And it was hard for many local tourism businesses to continue their community-based development projects – including education, skills development and feeding schemes – due to a reduction in revenue as tourism numbers dropped.

What will the short- to medium-term impact be?

While there have been no reports of tourism booking cancellations as a result of last week’s incident, according to Andreas Peschke, Germany's ambassador to South Africa, there have been concerns expressed that this could impact potential travellers’ decisions to travel to South Africa. 

Safari operator, Chris Worden, said in a comment to Tourism Update: “We are in the process of quoting a family group of 16 pax who wanted Kruger and are convincing them to do Chobe instead, far easier and safer...”

COO Hospitality for Sun International, Graham Wood, noted that South Africa’s traditional markets were more mature and therefore more resilient to shocks of this nature. “The emerging source markets, especially the Asian markets, are less resilient.”

CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, agreed. “It is therefore extremely important to get the message out there of what is being done to ensure the safety of our tourists.”

Peschke noted that travel advisories had not been changed for German travellers. “We are reporting back to the German government, but an important part of that is also reporting on the reaction of the South African government. The responsibility taken by the government and the efforts shown by the minister (Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu) and her team in taking so much time dealing with the family and getting to the bottom of what happened should be of reassurance to possible visitors.”