BOUNDLESS SOUTHERN AFRICA EXPEDITION ZIMBABWE CHAPTER – A GREAT SUCCESS:

The Boundless Southern Africa Expedition’s crossing of Zimbabwe has been a great success and has more than reached its objectives in terms of linking nature, culture and community. Community and media events included those in the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area i.e. Sango border post and four events in the Gonarezhou area, and one at Crooks Corner where Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa meet. The traditional event and welcome to the Limpopo-Shase, (now renamed the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area) was delightful. Mapungubwe’s location puts it at the meeting point of Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The Transfrontier Conservation Area links Mapungubwe with Botswana’s Northern Tuli Game Reserve and the Tuli Safari Area of Zimbabwe. The famous Golden Rhino was a symbol of power of the King of the Mapungubwe people, who inhabitated the Limpopo River Valley close to the confluence with the Sashe River around a millennium ago. It was the first southern African kingdom, and derived its power from control of trade with the East Coast and into the Indian Ocean commercial network. This kingdom was the forerunner of the Zimbabwe civilisation and, its peak, appears to have had 5000 people living around Mapungubwe Hill.
 
Close to the banks of the Limpopo and west of Beitbridge we had a highly successful day with the Maramani community which included the handing over of an elephant fence by the Peace Parks Foundation. The crossing of the Sashe and the renaming ceremony at Greater Mapungubwe was attended by the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Management, Francis Nhema. The expedition re-entered Zimbabwe at Kazungula where we were met on the banks of the Zambezi by councillor Jiyani, the Mayor of Victoria Falls, Edson Chidziya the Transfrontier co-ordinator for Zimbabwe, the Director of Parks Wildlife Management Authority, government delegates and private sector stakeholders. In Victoria Falls we joined forces with the &Beyond Foundation for a One Net One Life malaria prevention campaign to pregnant mums and children under the age of five held outside the Victoria Falls Hospital in Chinotimba. Our community work in Zimbabwe has included Lifeboard desks, malaria prevention, Rite to Sight spectacles, Life straw water purifiers to beat cholera, Boundless Soccer Challenges, the distribution of Box Libraries and School Art Competitions with the theme of nature, culture and community. The Boundless Soccer Challenge was visited by Bafana Bafana champion Mark Fish who also assisted with community work. From Victoria Falls the journey took us through the Kazuma Pans National Park, the Matetsi Safari Area, Hwange National Park, Robins Camp, Sinamatele and Main Camp. As always to the communities adjacent to these wildlife areas this included interaction with school kids at the Painted Dog Project, a visit to Dindi school and clinic and a huge community event at Lukose. Local Zimbabwean media coverage for the expedition has been exceptionally strong and included a team of radio, TV and newspaper journalists who joined the expedition and recorded the community work. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Management, Francis Nhema also visited and supported the expedition on several occasions. Our journey is about optimism and using the expedition to assist with Zimbabwe’s recovery by encouraging adventure travellers to follow the Boundless Route and uplift communities as they do so.   

Farewell to Zimbabwe: Copy of a farewell speech made by the Director of Parks Wildlife Management Authority from Victoria Falls

Enveloped in spray from Mosi ao Tunya, the smoke that thunders – David Livingstone’s Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe parks and wildlife management authority rangers dressed in green berets and khaki uniforms marched in front of the 7 expedition Land Rovers led by Mike Nixon, the Boundless Expedition mountain biker.

At an official farewell function held in front of the Victoria Falls Bridge just before crossing into Zambia, the Director of Parks and Wildlife Management Authority made this speech to the expedition, herewith a copy….

To the Boundless Southern Africa Expedition,
Salutations and all protocols observed

Mr Kingsley Holgate and his team entered Zimbabwe on the 11th of June 2009 through Sango Border Post into Gonarezhou National Park, our second biggest National Park in Zimbabwe and the main Zimbabwe component of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (a TFCA initiative involving Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe).

From Gonarezhou the Expedition travelled to the Limpopo-Shashe TFCA (a TFCA initiative involving Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe). The team covered Maramani Communal Lands and Tuli Circle Safari Area. Of significance is the fact that this particular TFCA was renamed, by the responsible ministers, to Greater Mapungubwe TFCA during this Boundless Expedition.

In its third and final leg of the Zimbabwe component of this great expedition, the team re-entered Zimbabwe at Kazungula Border Post, to come to our part of the Kavango-Zambezi TFCA. In this phase, the team visited Kazuma Pan and Hwange National Parks Matetsi Safari Area as well as the mighty Victoria Falls.

In all these travels, the team came face to face with our nature and culture and interacted with our communities living in and around these TFCAs. It is my sincere belief that in all this, the team experienced the natural beauty of our country, the hospitality of our people and saw our efforts to conserving our fauna and flora. I therefore urge you Mr Kingsley Holgate and your entire team to go out and be good ambassadors of our country and to preach the good things that you have witnessed and experienced. I have faith that your initial objective of giving publicity to our TFCAs will be carried through.

We will take into consideration some of the suggestions you aired as a means of improving on areas you felt needed attention, but above all, that we conserve our flora and fauna with the future generations in mind – they are tomorrow’s leaders. May I at this juncture thank you sincerely for the donations, in the form of books, that you and your team made to the schools you visited. You could tell during your visit that we have children that are in dire need of reading material and we hope that you and your team will speak to your friends on behalf of these children for more assistance.

As for the mosquito nets and water purifiers, I cannot thank you more – our people’s health will no doubt change for the better.

There is a saying that says behind every successful man is a woman, Mai Holgate, affectionately known as Mashozi, you are the unsung heroin in this expedition, you are giving life, colour and meaning to the expedition, let me say a big thank you and may the motherly nature and care that you’ve shown not only the team but also Zimbabwe live forever with you.

Once again, let me thank you Mr Holgate for having brought together a really special group of people in your team… people who are prepared to say “our nature, conservation and communities first”. I believe some of the things you have seen and experienced in Zimbabwe will light a lamp in your heart, as much as your passion for nature, culture and communities has lit lamps in our own hearts. As you leave this country to continue with the rest of your journey, I know many people will follow your example. HAMBA KAHLE HOLGATE, FAMBAI ZVAKANAKA, PLEASE CALL AGAIN.

Last but not least, I wish to thank all the Zimbabwean stakeholders, public, private and communities who all worked together to ensure the success of the expedition. Of course, our National Parks staff, words cannot thank you enough – you were really a great team. I thank you.            
 
And so the expedition reaches its halfway mark. Ahead of us is Zambia, South Eastern Angola, Namibia’s Caprivi, then back into Botswana to complete the Kavango/Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. Then it’s on to the Transfrontier Conservation Areas of Kgalagadi and IAI-IAI’s / Richtersveld to end the Boundless Southern Africa journey on Wednesday 19th August 2009 which we have learnt will be a full on Namibian presidential event. The expedition team and everybody involved in the Boundless Southern Africa Expedition are all doing a great job, thanks for the support – we’ll keep you posted.