South
Africa, the Hunting Destination in Africa.
Climate:
In general, South Africa has a perennially sunny climate,
but the sun can be extremely fierce. The use of a hat
and sunscreen is recommended.
Midwinter occurs in June and July, midsummer in December
and January. Climate ranges from mediterranean in the
Cape Peninsula to sub-tropical on the KwaZulu-Natal
coast and in the North Eastern interior, and temperate
conditions prevail on the highveld.
Provinces:
South Africa is divided into nine provinces: Eastern
Cape, Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga,
Northern Cape, Limpopo Province (Northern), North West
and Western Cape.
Geographical
Features:
With an area of 1 227 200 sq.km (472 359 sq.miles),
South Africa is situated at the southern most tip of
Africa. South Africa’s West coast borders the
Atlantic Ocean and the Eastern coastline runs along
the Indian Ocean. On the North, South Africa borders
Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe and in the Northeast,
Mozambique and Swaziland.
Currency:
The currency is the South African Rand (R) and the international
symbol is ZAR. R1 = 100 cents.
Foreign
Exchange:
Travellers cheques and foreign currency notes of all
major currencies can be exchanged at airports, commercial
banks as well as at major hotels. Fluctuations in foreign
exchange markets are reflected in rates quoted on a
daily basis.
Credit
Cards:
Most credit cards as well as travellers cheques are
accepted. Fuel cannot be paid for with standard credit
cards.
Value
Added Tax (VAT)
Value added tax (VAT) is included in the price of most
goods and services. Visitors are required to pay VAT
on purchased goods. VAT refunds may be claimed at airports,
harbours and customs offices on items taken out of the
country when the total value exceeds R250.
Electricity:
The electricity supply in South Africa is 220/230 volts
AC 50 Hz. Appliances of lesser voltage require a transformer.
Adapters are obtainable locally.
Water:
South Africa tap water is extremely palatable and perfectly
safe to drink. Bottled water is also available in most
retail outlets.
Languages:
South Africa has 11 official languages: However, English
is understood and spoken by most people.
South
Africa has developed into the most popular hunting destination
in Africa. The critical success factors being:
The
highly successful management by the conservation authorities
in South Africa of National and Provincial Parks. With
approximately 7 million hectares set aside and managed
by the authorities, an enormous resource base of wild
animals has been produced for distribution throughout
the country. The above, together with the philosophy
of sustainable use of our natural resources, has seen
the development of some 9000 privately owned game farms
covering 17 million hectares of land. The greatest variety
of animals available for hunting in any one country
in Africa. The high degree of professionalism set by
the Professional Hunters’ Association of South
Africa (PHASA) and sound regulations controlling the
professional hunting industry. Hunting as a form of
tourism contributes enormously to the economy of South
Africa. Some 70,000 jobs have been created on game farms
and directly from professional hunting. In the 2001
hunting season, 8000 clients, inclusive of non-hunters
in each hunting group, hunted in South Africa, having
a total of 53,532 hunting days. A total of 32,246 animals
were hunted. This amounts to a total revenue from daily
rates, animals hunted and taxidermy work of US$ 80 million
(R960 million).
Hunting
Areas
Hunting is available on private game ranches, and in
controlled hunting areas in some provincial game reserves.
The number of game on private land is an estimated two
and a half times more than the game on public land.
Hunting
Seasons
Trophy hunting is carried out throughout the
year, but due to the summer heat and rains, most hunting
is conducted between March and October, with June, July
and August being the most popular months.
Legal
Protection of the Client
In 1981, the four Provincial Nature Conservation Departments
(Cape, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal) introduced
legislation to control the hunting, outfitting and professional
hunting industries in South Africa.
The
object of the legislation was to provide protection
for the foreign hunter in South Africa by setting standards
that would be obligatory before a hunting outfitter
or professional hunter would be licensed to operate,
and to provide for the maintenance of these standards
once a license has been granted.
Training
of the Professional Hunter
The legal requirements to be met before a hunting outfitter
or professional hunter can obtain a license are as follows:
All
candidates are required to complete a comprehensive
training course at a professional hunting school. These
schools are private institutions and are only allowed
to operate after careful screening by the nature conservation
agencies. The syllabus is prescribed by the nature conservation
agencies as well.
A
variety of subjects which cover the full spectrum of
trophy hunting are dealt with. Candidates are required
to pass a written examination compiled and conducted
by the nature conservation agencies.
Once
the professional hunter/outfitter has obtained a certificate,
he/she is licensed.
Further
Requirements for the Hunting Outfitter
At present the requirement to become a Hunting Outfitter
comprises of the following: Three years practical experience
as a Professional Hunter as well as have the facilities
inspected which he offers to clients. Hunting camps,
trophy preparation facilities, vehicles and staff are
required to conform to set standards. Publicity material
must be submitted to the Nature Conservation officials
before distribution as a safeguard against misleading
advertising. Regular follow-up inspections are carried
out.
Legal
Agreements and Facilities
Further protection is provided by the legal requirement
for a written agreement with regard to species and sex
of game offered, fees for trophies and services provided,
duration of the hunt and daily rates. This agreement
is entered into between the client and the hunter/outfitter
prior to the client leaving his own country.
The
hunter/outfitter is legally responsible for supplying
all hunting requirements once the client enters South
Africa, eg.
transport
– getting to and from the hunting area, and while
hunting; hunting camp accommodation, for the duration
of the hunt; catering; hunting services: trackers, skinners,
etc.; provision of a licensed professional hunter; skinning
and trophy preparation facilities, dispatch of trophies;
arrangements with landowners for hunting of game, should
this be necessary; all licenses and permits required
for hunting; all permits required for dispatch of trophies.
Professional Hunters/Hunting Outfitters must be licensed
in each province where they operate. It is important
that the client checks to make sure that the operator
is licensed in the province where the proposed hunt
is to take place.
The
introduction and enforcement of legislation in the professional
hunting industry, geared primarily to protect the client
from malpractice, has effectively raised standards.
The
Professional Hunter’s Responsibilities
The professional hunter is the person who physically
guides a client in the hunting area in order to hunt
an animal to obtain a trophy. He sees to the welfare
of his client while in the hunting camp. He is in charge
of the hunting camp and its personnel. He makes certain
that his client is in possession of the necessary permits,
licences or other documents before he allows him to
hunt. He sees to it that his client’s trophies
are skinned and prepared according to the correct methods.
He is responsible for his client’s safety while
in the camp and in the hunting area. The professional
hunter sees to it that his client does not hunt contrary
to the provisions of the law .
He
does not receive any remuneration from the client for
services rendered. The client remunerates the hunting-outfitter
for services and trophies, who in turn pays the professional
hunter.
He
does not recruit clients or offer his services to a
client directly, he works for a hunting outfitter who
recruits and presents services to the client.
The
Hunting-Outfitter’s Responsibilities
The Hunting-Outfitter recruits the client through advertisements
or by other means. He arranges and organizes the client’s
hunt from start to finish. He enters into a written
agreement with the client with regard to the animals
to be hunted and the facilities and service which will
be supplied and rendered. He is directly remunerated
by the client for his services. He furnishes the hunting
areas where the animals are hunted and also the camp
with all its conveniences and services. He supplies
the camp personnel and pays them. He supplies the camp
with provisions and stores. He sees to it that the client
is guided by qualified licenced professional hunters.
He obtains the necessary permits, licences and other
documents enabling his client to hunt legally. It is
his responsibility to obtain the necessary permits to
convey and export his client’s trophies and to
see to it that the trophies are delivered in good shape
and order.
Although
the professional hunter is actually in charge of the
hunting camp and sees to the skinning and handling of
the trophies, and at times provides transport on a hunting
trip, it does not exempt the hunting-outfitter from
his overall responsibility to his client.
In
many cases the professional hunter and the hunting-outfitter
are the same person and therefore responsible for the
combined duties and functions and must also be in possession
of both permits to operate as professional hunter and
as hunting-outfitter.
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