Kruger Lowveld’s Tourism Safety Initiative

Following on recent criminal activities in the region in which tourists were targeted or were victims, Kruger Lowveld Tourism has been engaging with law enforcement officials in order to ensure that an effective strategy is in place to report incidents of crimes against tourists (as well as any other incident where a tourist, domestic or foreign, is involved and requires assistance).

Last week Linda Grimbeek, COO of KLCBT, together with MTPA’s Tourism Safety Manager, Lindiwe Mthombeni visited numerous police stations in Mpumalanga’s Ehlanzeni District, meeting the station commanders and raising awareness of the value to tourism to the local and national economy amongst SAPS members.  Each police station was provided with posters of the processes to be followed in the event of a crime being perpetrated against a tourist, or should a tourist be involved in an accident.  In several cases, members of the Local Tourism Organisation were invited to join in, meet the local constabulary and encouraged to develop an ongoing working relationship with the local police station.

Kruger Lowveld has been attending quarterly tourism safety forums with the SAPS and Provincial Traffic Department since the beginning of this year, but it is hoped that engagement between LTOs and the local police station may go a long way in developing a stronger relationship in the interests of keeping tourists safe as well as being as effective as possible in the event of tourists being caught up in a traumatic experience while travelling in the region.

Kruger Lowveld / KLCBT has also been engaging with law enforcement to ensure that previous cases involving tourists are followed up on and that arrests are made.  It is through the efforts of this organisation that a reward has been raised which will hopefully lead to the arrest and successful conviction of the perpetrators of the horrific rape of a tourist in the region.  We also continue to pressurise the police to increase visibility on roads where tourists have been attacked as well as to vigorously pursue all leads in the hope that the perpetrators will be apprehended and successfully prosecuted.

While there has been a noticeable decline in reports of roadside corruption by traffic officials, we encourage members to continue to share the anti-corruption cards with their guests.

Should you require additional information on our tourism safety initiatives or wish to get involved in supporting tourists in distress within your area, please contact Tom Vorster website@krugerlowveld.com