17 Jul 2014

The Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama says the concept of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and Controlled Hunting Areas (CHAs) predates the coming into force of the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act of 1992.


He explained to Parliament on July 16 that the WMAs concept arose from the Tribal Grazing Land Policy (TGLP) government paper of 1975.


The policy directed that there would be three categories of land being commercial farming areas, communal grazing land, and reserved areas.
The reserved areas included land set aside for wildlife utilisation.

Mr Khama said the Fauna Conservation Act (Cap 38:01) was accordingly amended to cover this category of land use.
 “The same Act also recognised the existence of Controlled Hunting Areas within which hunting could be done based on quotas set by the competent authority,” said the minister.


He said parts of Kgalagadi, Ghanzi, Ngamiland, Southern, and Chobe districts were set aside as WMAs during the National Development Plan V.
Maun West MP Mr Tawana Moremi had asked the minister to explain the wildlife/ land use management model which was used prior to the introduction of WMA/ CHA model.
 ENDS