Mpumalanga pushes hunting
Thandee N'wa Mhangwana
29 July 2004
Mpumalanga is on a drive to develop more black professional hunters in a bid to transform the country's multi-million rand hunting industry.
Some 9 000 foreign hunters visit South Africa each year. According to the Professional Hunters Association of SA, the industry generated R1-billion in 2003 - not counting money made from local hunters.
The Mpumalanga Parks Board has started training 30 candidates at the Songimvelo game reserve in order to help more black South Africans tap into the lucrative industry.
"The reality is that there are few if any black hunting outfits", says Mpumalanga Parks Board spokesperson Jimmy Masombuka - each year, he says, only white hunters respond to the board's invitations to tender for professional hunting packages.
So, earlier this year, the board advertised its first professional hunting training course aimed at black people interested in breaking into the industry. The list of applicants was honed down
to 30, who underwent the first phase of intensive training between over 10 days in June.
Training started at the crack of dawn and included firearm handling, shooting, trophy skinning, animal tracking, basic ecology, hunting ethics and first aid. The candidates were trained in public relations, marketing and client care.
"We were taught things such as the importance of walking downwind, so the animals can't smell you", said trainee Dalson Ngomane.
Ngomane said the shooting lessons stressed the importance of not hitting the animal in the head, so as not to damage the trophy. The trainees were taught to aim for a single, fatal shot to the animal's spinal cord, heart or lungs.
"If you miss, that could be the end of your life - or of your client's", Ngomane added.
Ngomane pointed out that black people had already proven their ability as sharp-eyed trackers in private and state game reserves in the country.
The board will place candidates who pass the
course with hunting outfits around the province for practical training.
Source: BuaNews
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