The Hluhluwe Rhino Charge, organized by SATIB’s client Hluhluwe River Lodge, presented it's 5th edition of the Moutain Bike Race and took place on Sunday the 26th July 2009. The event was a fund raising event for the Hluhluwe Private School and all the logistics of running the event are provided by the parents, teachers and friends of the school.

SATIB, the main sponsors of the event, were there in full support with Des Langkilde (Marketing Director) riding the 50km route and Stephen Weller (KZN Branch Manager) riding the 25km route, even Des’s son, Chase entered the team spirit by finishing the 10km fun ride. Many SATIB clients also participated in the race and by the sounds of things ereally enjoyed it.

The race route passed through two game reserves namely 'Ubizane' and 'Double H Ranch' as well as some agricultural land and farm conservancy. The organizers also sponsored a team of development riders on the day.

The Saturday before the race a group of 20 riders enjoyed a leisurely 30km ride along the shoreline of Lake St Lucia – this is where you see the beauty of mountain biking. Anyone interested in riding in the area can email gavin@hluhluwe.co.za or call Hluhluwe River lodge on 035 562 0246.

We look forward to another bumper event next year.

The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) has decided to introduce a grading system for Corporate Lodge/Camp membership based on a Bronze, Silver and Gold membership category.
The purpose of the categories is to give recognition to a lodge or camp that promotes FGASA as an association and its standards, as well as providing support and creating career paths for its member guides. 

There are fairly strict requirements to qualify along with a scale of benefits to the corporate membership categories. 

Two lodges have been graded under the scheme, both of which received Gold status. The lodges graded are Singita Game lodge and SATIB client Royal Malewane. 

“The most important aspect of a wildlife experience in a lodge or camp is the guide and it is felt by FGASA that the guides need to be recognised for what they do for the lodge in all aspects.  It is felt that it is time that employers of guides make use of the quality of their guides to promote the particular wildlife experience they are offering,” said Grant Hine, managing director.

“In short, the lodge or camp is graded according to how it treats its guides and other staff members in terms of skills development, accommodation, salaries in relation to qualifications, years of experience and job requirements,” he said.

“It is hoped that lodges/camps will make use of this grading system as part of their marketing strategy,” concluded Hine.

Source: www.tourismupdate.co.za/NewsDetails.aspx?newsId=20202

Recycle all your paper, glass, plastic, metals, etc.  Producing new paper, glass and metal products from recycled  materials saves 70 to 90 percent of the energy and pollution that would result if the product came from virgin materials. Recycling a stack of newspapers only 4 feet high will save a good-sized tree.

Whether you are at home, school or work, don't waste paper. Using both sides is a great way to save.

• Pull out articles/information/pictures for later reference
• Save interesting pages for decorative wrap
• Use magazine pages and covers for book covers
• Use colourful paper for origami and other paper projects
• Donate magazines to friends, senior citizens, convalescent hospitals, doctors' offices, hospital waiting rooms, etc.

• Avoid aerosol cans.  They have no practical reuse or recycling potential.  Instead, look for products like hair spray or room freshener that come in pump spray bottles that are recyclable.
• If you bring home shopping bags, reuse them as garbage bags or return them to the store for recycling.  Most supermarkets now have recycling bins for both plastic and paper bags.  Even better, bring your own cloth or mesh bag with you when you go shopping.
• Purchase products compatible with your neighbourhood recycling program.  Plan ahead and consider what you will be buying and where things will ultimately end up.
• Charity and nearly new shops, jumble sales and community schemes are good places to donate or sell second hand clothes, toys and furniture.  It is also well worth shopping at second hand outlets.
• Donate unwanted clothes, toys, or household goods to a charitable organization or homeless shelter.  Worn-out clothes can be turned into rags for household cleaning - just wash and reuse.
• Use containers again - buy food, drinks and toiletries in returnable containers and ask local shops to stock them.  Ask your school or workplace to provide reusable cups, plates, cutlery etc.
• Recycle your junk mail, screening it for non-recyclable items like magnets and membership cards. There are also several ways to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, such as having your name removed from national mailing lists and broker lists.
• Styrofoam takes a long time to decompose. Instead of using Styrofoam cups, use glass or ceramic. If you receive Styrofoam peanut packaging, reuse it, or donate it to your local box or shipping company.
• The best environmental choice is to repair, restore or adapt a product you already have. You may need professional help but it could still be cheaper than something new - half of electrical goods left at dumps work or require only very basic repairs.
• Don't through away old computers or electronic parts and equipment.  Take it to a electronic recycling company / centre.  The components used in electronics is very toxic and currently most of it is ending up on dumping sites where it is poisoning the ground and even the underground water.   (Equipment to recycle: PC's, Printers, Notebooks, TV's, VCR's, DVD Players, Notebooks, walkmans, cell phones, PDA's, etc)  
• Don't just through away old and empty printer cartridges.  Take it to be recycled and even get paid for it. 
• Start with paper recycling at your office. 

Source: www.greensa.co.za/Mainpage.htm

A large proportion of South African companies have experienced an increase in fraud detection rates since the start of the market turmoil.

Companies expect that the incidence of fraud will continue to increase in the economic crisis.

These are some of the findings of a recent snap poll carried out by Deloitte among 25 senior risk managers from a broad spectrum of companies.

Graham Dawes, a director in the risk advisory division at Deloitte, said yesterday: "The overriding concern in times such as these is that fraud in organisations will increase significantly."

The country had already seen an upturn in reported commercial crime statistics. This was to be expected where the gross domestic product was on the decline, Dawes said. For instance, with the turn of the millennium and the burst of the dot com bubble, commercial crime spiked upwards.

However, there was a gradual decrease in white-collar crime from 2001 until 2007. "There is an upward increase again in reported commercial crime as SA heads into one of its worst recessions," he said.

Fraud is considered to be the country's top financial crime, with police now investigating financial crimes totalling more than R8bn. Dawes said only 10% of cases were reported to the authorities.

"We are seeing a lot of high- level fraud taking place within companies," he said. Companies were also seeing huge shrinkage of stock taking place. "Theft of assets is taking place by those who are desperate and in need."

Dawes said upper-income employees tended to manipulate the payroll.

He said companies were starting to consider adapting fraud-prevention strategies.

Dawes said fraud risk management was an integral part of business risk management processes. He said a robust anti- fraud strategy should be at the centre of this initiative.

Please contact your account handler or click here to get more information on Fidelity Insurance cover ?

Source: allafrica.com/stories/200907090029.html

Consumers are feeling the pain of the economic downturn and despite aggressive interest rate cuts, retail sales continue to fall. The same despondency can be seen in the US although there are signs of life returning to US consumers. For over indebted South African households the increased savings rate and rapidly declining private credit extension are positive signs that a financially healthier consumer will emerge.

You can read a review of how the global and local economies are faring in what appears to be a very tentative and turbulent recovery.

Use savings wisely
Homeowners may be finding that the 450 basis point rate this year so far has put some extra cash into their pockets. But with the Monetary Policy Committee not cutting rates further in June it is important that we make the most of our current savings to ensure our long term financial security.

In the article Use the savings on your bond repayments wisely you will find some sound ideas on how to make the most of your savings to start building on a long term financial plan. Neelan Porthen, head of risk products at Liberty, talks about the importance of creating a long term strategy for your risk cover that will adapt and change to your needs in his article Creating a Flexible Plan.

Also included is a brief guide on how best to invest your additional cash flow so that you are able to continue to build on your long term financial plan: Guide to Savings.

Source: Customer update newsletter received via email from Liberty Life Customer Communications | 15 July 2009

Cape Town Tourism has reacted with caution to the news that Dubai World Constituency’s recently bought cruise ship, the QE2, is destined for Cape Town, where the developers have earmarked it for a floating hotel with an 18-month residency over the 2010 FIFA World Cup period.

The national Department of Tourism was requested to give input regarding the berthing application of the QE2 in Cape Town harbour and consulted the local and national tourism industry on the matter as part of the process. Concerns were raised with regard to the impact on existing accommodation establishments, particularly within the four- and five-star bracket, and the current economic downturn. Further clarity has been requested on the real economic impact and job creation opportunities, however the Department of Tourism has decided not to oppose the application.

The Transnet Board and the National Ports Authority will now make a final determination regarding the viability of the berthing of the QE2 in Cape Town.

CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Mariette du Toit-Helmbold comments: “Although Cape Town Tourism welcomes new tourism ventures, we are mindful of the need to be responsible and sustainable in the planning of a tourism landscape that is fair to all the market players. Further clarity on the real impact and benefits to Cape Town’s tourism sector is required. Our 2010 Strategy advocates short- and long-term benefits to local tourism.
This means that preference must go to existing accommodation providers – over temporary establishments.”

Du Toit-Helmbold also pointed out that misconceptions abounded that Cape Town was short of accommodation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and that this was not sufficient motivation for a floating hotel to be brought to Cape Town for the event. “If shortage of accommodation is the real motivator behind the initiative then cities where there is a genuine shortage of accommodation would be better suited.

“We are not worried about shortages in Cape Town and surrounds and believe that the 2010 FIFA World Cup accommodation requirements will be easily met. Cape Town has an excellent accommodation capacity, but allowance where appropriate has been made for temporary accommodation. However, we do give preference to established and accredited accommodation establishments.”

An August 2008 survey commissioned by the Cape Town City Council, Cape Town Tourism and Cape Town Routes Unlimited revealed that the city would have ample bed capacity for the Soccer World Cup. Accommodation capacity (including accredited and approved temporary accommodation stock) currently stands at 56 000 beds and an estimated total number of 70 000 beds should be on line by June 2010 in the greater Cape Town area.

Furthermore, Cape Town is in close proximity to regions like the Winelands, Overberg and Garden route, which also have good capacity available.

“These assumptions are based on the total number of MATCH (FIFA’s accommodation and ticketing partner) contracted accommodation establishments, which for the most part fall within the hotel sector.

While we are working hand in hand with MATCH and FIFA to encourage as many establishments as possible to contract with MATCH, we understand too that the decision to sign up with MATCH is a business decision that each individual tourism business must make, weighing up their unique situation, requirements and suitability. Many accommodation establishments either do not fit the MATCH profile or do not wish to sell their accommodation through MATCH due to business reasons of their own.”

Cape Town Tourism, as an industry association, works in close partnership with the host city and FIFA and co-ordinates the 2010 Cape Town Accommodation Programme. This programme looks at accredited and non-accredited accommodation options, linking in with MATCH, but also caters for visitors and members of the industry that prefer to do business independently.

Source: www.tourismupdate.co.za/NewsDetails.aspx?newsId=20261

Reports from South Africa say that despite the global recession, the country still expects between 430,000 and 460,000 international visitors to travel to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup™ next year.

South African Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Marthinus van Schalkwyk said, "It is our view, and also the view of the tour operators we have spoken to, that the economic recession will not have an impact on visitors to the 2010 FIFA World Cup," speaking at a briefing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa's head office, SAFA House.

He added, "We predict that South Africa will also experience a slowdown but as a country we expect to do better than the global average and outperform our competitors."

Five years ago South Africa predicted that visitors to the country would grow to 10 million by 2010 and despite a change in economic climate the country still expects to reach it next year thanks to a focused international marketing campaign and increased air traffic into the country.

Van Schalkwyk said, "In the last couple of years we have seen a substantial increase in tourist numbers coming to South Africa. A total of 9.5 million tourists visited South Africa last year and there is no question that by next year we will reach the 10 million mark”.

The country is also confident that it has the accommodation facilities for the nearly half a million expected visitors to the country, as well as domestic tourists, during the tournament.

He said, "FIFA requires 55,000 graded rooms a night for the FIFA family during the tournament and South Africa has over 100,000 graded rooms in the country and hundreds of thousands of ungraded rooms."

However, many of these rooms are outside of the nine host cities where the tournament will take place, therefore satellite accommodation areas will be created and fans transported in and out of these areas on match days, with added land and air transport facilities made available.

This is apparently not unusual as many fans at the FIFA World Cup in Germany came in from neighbouring European countries on match days.

Van Schalkwyk said, "As we have always said, this is an African World Cup and accommodation in neighbouring countries, such as Swaziland and Botswana, will also be used.”  “We are also putting up luxury tented camps in game reserves around the country".

Sports and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, said "South Africa must embrace this wave of positive sentiment and use it to our advantage.”   “There were many doubters before the FIFA Confederations Cup but even those who have since admitted they were sceptical have given us very positive feedback.”

Source: www.etravelblackboard.us/showarticle.asp?CID=44504&id=90329

Tourism minister Najib Balala

Kenya is expected to enter into a memorandum of understanding with South Africa aimed at building ties on tourism, a cabinet minister has said.

Tourism minister Najib Balala said he expects to receive South African minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on August 17 in Nairobi for the tourism Mou signing ceremony.

Mr Balala said the MoU would play a major part in helping Kenya participate in South African tourism fairs to woo tourists from Southern Africa region.

He noted that the country stands to benefit immensely from the South African tourism market since it is the Africa's "economic powerhouse".

More than nine million foreigners visited South Africa last year while locally less than a million tourists toured the country.

"Preparations for the signing of the MoU on tourism related matters with South Africa has been finalised. I expect the minister to jet in next month so that we can formalise our relations," Mr Balala said.

"The relations will enable Kenya tap the Southern Africa tourism market to help in our recovery plan. We gear towards getting a good number of tourists from the continent," he added.

He indicated that next year Kenya would participate in the South African tourism fair so as to showcase its eye-catching tourist attraction and packages.

Mr Balala expressed optimism that by the end of the year the sector would be back on its feet following good response from the European tourism market.

He added that efforts to spread wings to new source markets of Russia and Asia were paying dividends as tourists from those regions are set to tour the country in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the minister has once again urged hoteliers to upgrade their tourist facilities to international standards.

Mr Balala said when the hotels standards are updated it would play a part in attracting more holidaymakers.

He added that tourists are sensitive about the quality of the hotels they choose to stay.
Some of the establishments, he added, are indeplorable condition due to lack of renovations.

Source: www.eturbonews.com/10474/tourism-agreement-be-signed-south-africa-and-kenya

Drought in Tanzania’s northern highlands has reached deadly proportion, killing nearly 100 cattle in Longido and wildlife along the sprawling borderline of Kilimanjaro and Amboseli National parks.

Mass deaths of livestock have occurred in Lerang’wa na Olmolog villages in Longido, while wildlife have happened along the Kitendeni vast wildlife migration corridor straddling between Kilimanjaro and Amboseli National parks in Tanzania and Kenya respectively.

Nearly 20 analyzed samples of livestock carcasses show that the livestock had eaten poisonous “wild amaranth unfit for cattle consumptions,” as drought scorched the entire vegetations, leading to their mass deaths.

“Laboratory test of 20 samples of cattle carcasses confirmed the livestock have died early this month after eating poisonous wild amaranth,” the Northern zone Veterinary Investigation Centre officer in charge, Dr. Emmanuel Swai said.

Dr. Swai said millions of herds of cattle in the northern highland are currently facing the worst drought, after a lull of more than 48 years, scorched northern Tanzania’s thick vegetation and sucked its rivers dry.

Journalists covering the Natural Resources and Tourism Minister, Shamsa Mwangunga tour in Longido, witnessed several livestock and wildlife animals’ carcasses in Olmolog and Irkaswa villages in Longido district and Kitendeni wildlife corridor, apparently died of drought.

Olmolog ward councilor Mathias Mollel told journalists that a total of 80 livestock mysteriously died in Lerang’wa na Olmolog villages within the last two weeks, staggering fear among the livestock keepers.

Commenting, Longido MP Michael Lekule Laizer says the drought in the area has assumed a catastrophic dimension, putting millions of cattle and wildlife at risk of starving.

“The drought has deserted the cattle rich Longido district with most of livestock keepers moved as far as Simanjiro nearly 200km east-south of Longido searching for greener pastures” Laizer said.

Some, he said, went to Ngorongoro district located 300km west-north of Longido for the similar mission, leaving behind families facing the serious hunger.

Laizer said his territory needs nearly 3000 tones of food with immediate effect to rescue the population of 74,074 people from starving.

“The similar drought experienced in Longido way back in 1961, where millions of cattle and wildlife died as a result of phenomenon,” Laizer said.

Other parks in northern Tanzania also have dried up with their wildlife population migrating to human habitats scouting for water and green grass.

Wildlife conservationists in Tanzania and Kenya are worried over the survival of wild animals in the region, and if there will be no rain in the coming months, there could be a great loss of wildlife and a slump in tourism.

In Kenya, the most affected parks are Tsavo East and West in southern part of the country and Amboseli on the western foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Source: www.eturbonews.com/10540/drought-puts-wildlife-danger-tanzania

South African National Parks’ marine rangers from the Addo Elephant National Park arrested five illegal divers for diving and fishing illegally in the Bird Island Marine Protected Area.

Six more divers, who escaped from the rubber duck and took refuge on Stag Island, were arrested for trespassing in the national park.

The South African Police Service took the divers to the Kinkelbos Police Station to be charged. SANParks confiscated the rubber duck vessel and all diving equipment used by the suspects during the illegal operation.

The Bird Island group in Algoa Bay is part of the Addo Elephant National Park and home to the largest breeding population of Cape gannets in the world, an African penguin colony and a breeding colony of Cape fur seals.

Source: www.tourismupdate.co.za/NewsDetails.aspx?newsId=20301