Kruger Lowveld visits Police Stations

  • October 3rd, 2019

Linda Grimbeek from KLCBT and Lindiwe Mthombeni from MTPA visited police stations on the major tourism routes, during the last few days.  This will be done annually to introduce our joint tourist in distress support programme.  During the visit, the tourism industry volunteers from each town were introduced to the station commander.  The volunteers will provide basic support when a tourist is in distress—to be the friend and family member they do not have in SA.

Here are some more details of the initiative:

  1. We visit police stations in our region once a year to show them that from tourism side we care and share with them the importance of tourism to the economy and why they should get special treatment if something happen. 
  2. We ask of them what we can do from tourism side to help prevent crime, some equipment they need, etc.etc.  We raise funds and get donations to make this happen as far as possible.
  3. We inspect the victim support room and see if there is anything lacking we can get donations for.
  4. We introduce the victim support programme – posters were printed to put up at all the police stations which indicate the protocol that should be implemented as soon as a tourist is in distress:
    1. Report incident to the tourism safety officer at provincial tourism office – Lindiwe Mthombeni
    2. Report incident to the regional tourism organisation, Lisa Sheard & Tom Vorster
    3. Call one of the volunteers from the local tourism organisation (We introduce the applicable tourism volunteers to the SAPS office in person and their names and telephone numbers are added on the posters for that particular station) to assist the tourists in terms of:
      • Contact with family / friends / embassy
      • Transport / flights
      • Replacement of travel documents
      • Coordinate counselling service
      • Arrange for an interpreter
      • Accommodation
      • Replacement of clothes / toiletries
      • Meals
      • Sympathetic Listening / encourage them to continue with their trip
      • Regular follow up visits / calls with tourist – to be the friend and family they do not have in SA

The volunteers are refunded for everything by provincial tourism, we (KLCBT) pay it first immediately, then we are refunded by them – it is easier for procurement procedures as we are a registered vendor

We Liaise with SAPS regarding progress of the case and ensure it is escalated to provincial level (in any case of a tourist being a victim)

Ongoing communication with tourist regularly to inform them on progress; necessity to return and give evidence in order to aid prosecution

We will shortly host a workshop / training session with the volunteers and supply them with an updated file of all contact numbers they may need.

In addition, we have several WhatsApp groups maintained by Tom Vorster, which will warn operators if roads are blocked by protests / accidents to divert tours to alternative routes and not miss out on items on their itinerary.  SATSA members are instrumental to plan alternative routes, in the event this should happen.

We are engaging the Minister of Justice to approve alternatives like having court hearings on Skype or similar, so that the tourists do not have to return to SA.  This will be the biggest factor in preventing attacks.  We are currently waiting for a date of the first appointment.

We just returned from half of the latest visits where the new posters were handed out and the new volunteers were introduced.  It was massively successful and well-received.  These included the stations on the Panorama Route, White River, Nelspruit area and Barberton.  It is comforting to know that this is in place for the unfortunate day something does happen.