Trouble in Africa?

[rockinbbar]

For those of you in Africa...

What kinds of things are going on in South Africa & other regions right now?
I hear things are stirring in Zimbabwe as well?

Thanks

[404 jeffery]

hi rock, there is a whole lot happening in our region, in sa things are going the same as from 1994 ,on a downhill trend im sorry to say that the cart is now gaining speed and i fear the brakes are overheating the wheels are slightly wobely and the driver is wide eyed antiscipating desaster but in flat-out denial, looking at his comments that he made on the zim election desaster and our current crime wave we are expieriancing,if the current prez of zim will only accept defeat and call off his troops, they can be on a speedy road to discovery before all animal life and farms are destroyd.

[bwanajim]

I have read reports of wildlife abuses, human rights abuses and the like.  It's nauseating that it can't be stopped even when the people cry out for help.
I believe Mugabe in the early to mid 1980s, killed approximately 20,000 of his countrymen in Matabeleland.  (Sounds like Iraq or Kosovo) Even his recent record of human rights violations and racist violence is ghastly.   And if seething racism, in itself, does not qualify as a weapon of mass destruction, I guess I don’t know what does.  

This tyrant began his manipulation of the polls when he made life so intolerable for opposition supporters that many fled the country.   He started a program to clean up slums in Harare, an opposition stronghold, making countless people homeless and, therefore, disqualified for voting.  He instituted a redistricting program that favored his party.  He used his youth soldiers to intimidate citizens.  He moved the election date ahead of schedule to March 29th.  He made it illegal to speak negatively about the regime, making a criminal out of anyone who dared run against him or even called a meeting to discuss opposing the regime.  Obviously I could go on and on.  

The irregularities regarding the current election are exhaustingly numerous and criminally complex.

Mugabe and his cronies continue to terrorize Zimbabwe of course, and with they think with good reason.  Those appointed by Mugabe have much to lose should he not be able to claim the presidency; cars, farms, houses, lifestyles in general.  Shame.  They should have thought of that before they agreed to participate in thug politics.

But the Zimbabwe people need a leader who is not “styling” while they are starving.  I’m with them all the way, even if I am powerless to do anything except speak.

[404 jeffery]

bwana i cannot agree with you more african leaders think they are above the law or immune from critisism mainly because their neighbors condone their indiscretions or will just turn a blind eye because of the mentality if the west hates it it is good for africa, but like you say we can speak up but our hands are tied. for us living here it is even more frustrating.should you speak out you are branded as a racist.

[grayghost]

Mugabe's time is up. He may not go down without a fight but if he brings one on I don't think he will escape retrobution from the rest of the world. No one has been willing to intervein, and many felt Britain would as Zim was once their colony (Rhodesia). I hope to return soon, but I don't see change in the way indigenous people run their Gov't. Just one big mess after another. grayghost

[joeberman334]

On the upside Zimbabwe is currently experiencing 20-30% PER WEEK inflation.  That's no good for anybody who lives there, but for a traveller it might be good news.  Last I checked the exchange rate was 1 US Dollar = 40,000,000,000 Zimbabwe Dollars (Yes, 40 Billion)

[bwanajim]

I wonder just how much worse it can get?!?

[Hunterbug]

I know someone that is there right now on a lion hunt, I'll let you guys know what he says when he gets back. I told him before he left that I didn't know what was more dangerous, the game he was hunting or the country he was hunting it in. I also asked him to put me in his will for his really nice 03-A3 just in case.

[Hunterbug]

They guy that I know that went to Zimbabwe had a successfull hunt. He didn't have any trouble at any of the check points because he was a hunter and that's about the only thing that they've got going for them now. He was advised to keep his camera hidden lest he be mistaken for a journalist.

[fghi741]

Despite the drag of the depressed stock and property markets, the city's GDP grew 10.3 percent to 653.07 billion yuan in the first half of 2008, a whisker below the national growth rate of 10.4 percent in the same period, Shanghai municipal statistics bureau said.A crane carries materials in front of the OrientalFFXI Gil Pearl Tower in Shanghai's Lujiazui. [Bloomberg]  The downturn of activities in the property sector weighed down the GDP growth rate by 0.4 percent, while the bearish securities dofus kamasmarket made "zero contribution" to economic growth, said Cai Xuchu, the bureau's chief economist and spokesman. In contrast, the two sectors contributed 19 percent to the city's growth in the first six months of 2007, he said.According to Cai, Shanghai's housing sales slid 18.5 percent in the first half to reach 12.28 million sq m, of which 10.7 million sq m were newly built residential apartments.Because of its openness, "the Shanghai economy is more exposed to the influences of global economic conditions. That's why Shanghai's GDP growth lagged behind the nationwide level for the second time since 1992", Cai said. Theworld of warcraft gold first time this happened was in 2005.He added that the city's growth was also affected by the elimination of outdated production facilities in the ongoing economic restructuring. "The development of the service industry was hampered by the bearish stock market and tepid real estate sector," he said.The city's consumer price index (CPI), the barometer of inflation, rose 7.1 percent in the first six months of this year from the same period a year ago.Shanghai would still face inflation pressure in the next half fuelled by the likely price increases of edible oil and vegetable products, Cai said.The bureau's figures also showed that Shanghai's fixed-asset investment rose 2.3 percent to hit 197.2 billion yuan in the first six months, downwow gold 7.3 percent from the first half of last year due to the tightening macroeconomic control, decreased number of infrastructure development projects and the shrinking of capital supply.The investment in real estate development climbed 3.8 percent to 64.3 billion yuan in the first half, but the growth rate shed 2.4 percentageage of Conan gold points from the same period of last year. In addition, 54.3 billion yuan was dived into the industrial investment from January to June, down 7.8 percent from last year.Shanghai's import and export volume still climbed 23.2 percent to reach $157.6 billion in the first half. The export sector gained $80.4 billion with 25.1 percent growth last year, despite the declining demand in overseas market.

[AZ Shooter Gal]

mugabe tried to gain entrance to communist china to attend the Olympics. While the Zimbabwe team was welcomed, mugabe was barred entrance and told to leave. Pretty bad when the commies don't want you.

Blessed Be

SharonAnne

[kombi1976]

Pretty rich coming from China.
They're up there with the worst when it comes to the destruction of native animals and widespread human rights abuses.
There are a couple of species of freshwater dolphin that are now completely extinct due to the new dam project they put up there.
And what sort of democratic rights do the Tibetans have?
That's not even mentioning the fact that China executes political prisoners, harvests their organs and then sells them off to westerners at the highest price possible.
If you're rich, have no conscience and don't want to wait for a new heart/kidney/liver just hook up with the Chinese.
Zimbabwe is terrible but the Chinese are 100 times worse.

[Bushwack]

I did a eco-4x4 tour in the Eastern side (Wankie) / Robins camp / Pandamatenga area in April 2008. Zimbabwe is in chaos...Rather stick to hunting, tour, photograpic grounds in the South, West and East of Zim. Mugabe time is up, and i hope they can sort out all there problems before 2010 because Zimbabwe is a wonderful country to do sight seeing.

[fisheagle]

Do n ot spam the boards with the same thing posted over and over again.
 
Thx,
Daryl

[kombi1976]

What can you hunt in Zimbabwe?
And how bad is the cholera outbreak?
Mugabe declared it over a few days back but secret BBC footage seemed to suggest it was far from finished.

[fisheagle]

What can you hunt in Zimbabwe?
And how bad is the cholera outbreak?
Mugabe declared it over a few days back but secret BBC footage seemed to suggest it was far from finished.

You can hunt most animals here in Zim, excluding gemsbok, blackface impala, black wildbeast and maybe one or two animals that do not ocour in the region. But big5 and most other animals are available.
 
As for the cholera, its pretty bad but as with most cases the poorer are the hardest hit! We boil our water religously. As far as mugabe is concerned theres no problem here but we all know he lives in a dream world!

[Spiral Horn Safaris]

Hi guys here is a thing that is worrying me big time about Zim.
 
I realize that the country is in panic with the Mugabe thing and the country is not what it used to be but there is a matter that concerns me a lot in Zim.
 
Wildlife?
 
This is not to damage the name of hunting outfits in Zim in fact I would think that Zim used to be one of the best DG hunting countries in the world. I realize that the poor guys who are left there to pick up the pieces need to get money in and survive, but what is up with the prices folk?
 
I firmly believe that they are gradually shooting out most of the big game in Zim buff hunts for $6 500 wow that is a bargain but what is the effect on the game for having such a low price tag on them? I had a client not too long ago who returned from his first Buff hunt up in Zim he said there is nothing left up there and to be perfectly honest I can believe it. There is no control from the governments side and people from all over Africa invade Zim to make a quick buck. So I guess what I am saying is how long can this continue from a sustainable perspective what will happen to the game up there and the poor Outfitters who need to build it back up after chaos has been restored?
I feel it is our duty as hunter too always assess the long term effect that our deeds might have to ensure that we have something left for our future generations to hunt and experience.

[AZ Shooter Gal]

Sadly I think game hunting in Zimbabwe will go the way of the government. Only with a stable government will there be an environment conducive to game conservation and reestablishment of the once great herds.

[bowhunter 51]

Firstly, agreeing with SHS, relying on a troubled gov. to
pick up the ball and run with a wildlife conservation
effort just don't seem likely to me...Most likely it will
rely almost soley on the efforts of hunters, outfitters and
nature interest groups...I'm afraid the day of the (great
herds)  is already over and done with "IMO"............BH51..

[AZ Shooter Gal]

I was not suggesting that a government be the leader in conservation and reestablishment of game herds. However, a stable government is needed so that like minded groups can begin rebuilding what chaos has so badly damaged.

While "great herds" may never be again, South Africa has shown that with conservation efforts, even animals such as elephants can have their numbers rebound to the point that hunting is needed to keep herd sizes down to where they become problem animals.

[bowhunter 51]

They need a "Teddy Roosevelt", :smiley:  over there.....BH51.....

[Spiral Horn Safaris]

Guys I am afraid that Zim will not get back on track any time soon. The government has to control hunting and monitor it since they hunt on a lot of concession land, with no rules comes extreme chaos.
 
At the rate things are going at the moment with the prices I just don't think in a year's time there will be anything left to hunt. It is great for the consumer but what kind of an impact does it have on the wildlife?

[bowhunter 51]

Time is a factor...and as for government conservation
efforts, presently, in dwindling habitat world-wide trim'n
herds to reduce problems with habitants is easily mis-
interpreted as wild-life rebound....setting aside vast
expanse of fertile land for park/wildlife is about the only
resolve...I just don't see it happen'n in this day & age....
Here in the USA, we've been very fortunate that in the
early days created in just the nick-of-time, programs that
saved our wildlife..........................................................BH51....

[grayghost]

Since this topic started I have returned to Zimbabwe and RSA several times. Had zero problems anywhere (well, maybe the Jo'burg airport typical jams). Hunting was fantastic as always, trophies were received home and I'm returning again soon. There will always be trouble in paradise. Remember, it was our own western politicians who demanded white rule turn over each country to "democratic" rule....well, we left our brothers to fend for themselves. Now the Baboons have control of everything and what else could you expect? If anyone plans on hunting or vacationing in Africa, I'd do it now. I doubt any of us will be returning in 5-10 years.
gg