17 Mar 2024

 Eighteen companies, which are 100 per cent citizen-owned submitted bids in response to invitation for proposals from interested companies for the multiyear Special Elephant Ouota packages for the Controlled Hunting Areas (CHA’s) of CT2, CT4, CT7, NG8, NG9, NG11, NG35 and NG47.

Answering a question in Parliament on March 13, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Dumezweni Mthimkhulu said the expression of interest (EOI), published by his ministry wanted 100 per cent citizen-owned companies and out of the 18 that submitted six were successful namely; Bottlepan Safaris, Tholo Safaris Lodge , Tlou Safaris lodge ,Dandridge Safaris, Betco Distributors and Quandrat Holdings.

 He said for the five year period, P100.9 million was raised and was to be paid annually. 

Mr Mthimkhulu said registered community trusts were allocated quotas in designated community hunting areas, which they operated under Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme.

He further said in 2023 hunting season, about P34.2 million was generated. 

Furthermore, the minister said there were local academic institutions that offered short and long courses in tourism,  noting that his ministry had in a bid to capacitate Batswana particularly young people, just signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Botswana Wildlife Producers Association to work with the Botswana Wildlife Training Institution to develop and offer a programme that would produce world class professional hunters and outfitters.

 Mr Mthimkhulu also said the graduates of the programme were expected to run the hunting industry as many Batswana who had worked in Safaris hunting tourism had experience and potential to run the businesses.

“We encourage them to come forth and use their expertise to participate in the hunting industry,” he said.Nata/Gweta MP Mr Polson Majaga had asked the minister to state all companies, which were awarded hunting quotas concession in Botswana after lifting of hunting ban from 2020 to date and how many Batswana companies applied for the quota as well the amount raised from the hunting quotas.

He also wanted to know if there was any quota reserved for community trusts.

MP Majaga further wanted to know when would the ministry make public education workshop seminars for Batswana interested in tourism business. ENDS