TOUR operators providing transfer services to lodges in the Sabi Sand Reserve have been warned not to use the Newington Gate road on the western side of the reserve, but to rather use the better-known, more widely travelled Shaw's Gate road which provides access to the southern side of Sabi Sand.
This warning comes from a number of game lodges situated on the reserve following an incident this past weekend where two United States (US) tourists and their tour operator were reportedly hijacked by six armed men and robbed of the minibus and all their belongings.
Meanwhile, two separate meetings were called for this morning and yesterday afternoon respectively, in an effort to address the problem and find "workable" solutions.
The first meeting was called by "concerned parties" in the Sabi Sand region and today's meeting will see representatives from the Mpumalanga Tourism Authority (MTA) and the provincial ministers of Safety and Security and Gaming and Tourism convening.
Public relations officer for the Kruger National Park (KNP), William Mabasa, responded to the incident by admitting that although the incident took place outside the boundaries of the national park, it did nevertheless generally impact on tourism stakeholders throughout the region.
"I can say that since we elicited an undertaking from the police to step up their patrols at our gates - particularly the Numbi Gate near White River where two similar incidents occurred a few months back - and we have put up a sign that discourages use of the White River road to KNP, we seem to have the situation under control."
MTA public relations officer, Norman Madzhiga, confirmed that he had met with the two tourists involved in the weekend incident at Nelspruit Airport and both had expressed that they were "not bitter" about their experience.
According to Madzhiga, the couple were eager to return to South Africa to complete their holiday as they were "impressed" with what the country had to offer.
(Adéle Mackenzie)
