SOUTH AFRICA: Underworld Activities Taking Place In Cape Town

Underworld turf war over club security in Cape Town, with exclusive footage revealing how the battle has spilled over into establishments.

In one case a group of men are filmed bashing their way into a full venue.

Several sources have warned that the violence may escalate much further if drastic action is not taken soon.

On Wednesday night two men were murdered in Pinelands by gunmen said to be dressed in black and wearing balaclavas.

The shooting, according to several sources, was linked to underworld ructions.

These sources, who have intimate knowledge of underworld happenings, said one of those murdered was the second-in-command to a 27s gang leader.

However, this was not officially confirmed.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said two suspects fled the scene in a white Hyundai Tucson.

They were yet to be arrested.

A multidisciplinary task team, including members of the national intervention unit from Gauteng, the Hawks and the liquor unit, have carried out at least two major raids in the city centre since May to try and stamp out the violence.

In one of the latest raids targeting underworld activities, two bouncers were arrested in Long Street on Tuesday night for allegedly not being registered as is required by law.

More intense raids may be conducted.

Over the months the turf battle has escalated.

Club turf war

Cape Town has so far been the epicentre of the underworld war for control over the lucrative nightclub security industry, as well as the drug and illicit tobacco trade.

Businessman Nafiz Modack is said to be heading a new underworld faction, which is effectively hijacking the control of club security from an older, more established grouping.

This has resulted in clashes and shootings.

Several sources with intimate knowledge of what has been happening said that under the older grouping, club security was more controlled.

The newer grouping was shaking things up in a way, they said, that was resulting in violence.

However, a source linked to the newer grouping has insisted the opposite was happening - that the newer grouping is settling the turbulent industry.

Both those in the older and newer grouping have said they are against drug smuggling.

Ructions in the underworld started at least three years ago, but the situation started getting much more volatile last year when the newer grouping started making its presence felt.

In the middle of last year, a gun was fired outside a club believed to be in the city centre.

It was not clear what had sparked this incident, but it is understood it may have had to do with a scuffle between patrons inside a venue.

Later last year, as the newer grouping was apparently preparing to move in on city clubs, a murder was carried out.

The killing happened in a Sea Point hotel on November 8, 2016.

Craig Mathieson, the night manager of Hotel 303, located in Sea Point and owned by businessman Mark Lifman, was gunned down inside it.

Lifman was previously involved in the nightclub security industry.

Nothing was stolen from the 44-year-old Mathieson or from the hotel, leaving some fearing he was the target of a hit.

No arrests appear to have been made for Mathieson’s murder.

Later that month that Mathieson was killed, a group of men, said to be from the new underworld faction, targeted a man, said to be a rival, inside a popular Cape Town establishment.

Footage of inside the establishment, dated November 27, 2016, shows a man being kicked and beaten.

It is understood the man is linked to the older underworld faction and had upset someone in the newer faction.

Previously witnessed members of the newer faction at a city centre club and then at a popular Cape Town strip club.

On April 17 the men, several of them armed, were seen storming the first club.

When they convened outside the strip club, police had intervened, searching them and confiscating firearms which were later returned to them.

In more exclusive footage, taken in a West Coast venue in April 2017, a man can be seen forcing his way into an establishment.

Patrons are at the bar and the door to the venue appears to be closed.

But the one man forces it in and appears to jump over something blocking his way.

He then appears to kick it.

Several men then stream into the venue.

Patrons inside do not appear to understand what is happening.

That same month, on April 17, two men were wounded in a shooting in Café Caprice in Camps Bay.

It is understood the two patrons were in the wrong place at the wrong time as they were caught up in a shooting believed to be linked to an underworld turf war.

Footage taken after the shooting shows panicked patrons rushing around the venue.

Several sources with ties to policing have said more clampdowns are planned to tackle underworld activities.

However, several other sources fear there will be more violence.

Two men thought to be gang leaders were killed within minutes of each other in separate shootings in Cape Town on Wednesday night.

Police said two men were shot dead in their vehicle in a parking area at Pinelands shopping centre. One of them is believed to have been Marwaan Desai, allegedly leader of The Nice Time Kids.

"Two men fled the scene in a white Hyundai Tucson," said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut.

Five minutes earlier, a 23-year-old, thought to be the gang leader known as "Bassier", was killed in Bontheuwel, east of Pinelands.

A spate of recent shootings in Cape Town is thought to be related to a turf war being waged between drug dealers on the Cape Flats.

Reports last month said that security experts believed there was a link between increasing violence on the flats and competition for security contracts at nightclubs in the city.

Suspected gang boss Jerome "Donkie" Booysen was shot in the neck following two shooting incidents outside nightclubs in Camps Bay and the CBD.

On Friday last week a man believed to be 30-year-old Mario Swarts, was killed in Elsies River. Swarts had said that he was a member of The Bad Boys. He was said to be the gang's assassin.

CCTV footage from a shop near the suspected hideout of The Bad Boys gang, on Twelfth Avenue, Leonsdale, shows Swarts being shot repeatedly at point-blank range.

Sources say the police are on the alert for revenge attacks.


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NAMIBIA: Air Namibia Named Best Airline In Africa

Air Namibia was named the Best Airline in Africa when the global flight and travel search platform, Cheapflights, recently announced the winners of its inaugural Cheapflights Travel Awards in Cape Town.

The awards recognised the best southern African travel and tourism business and brands in a range of categories from the best local airports and airlines, to the best safari and wine offerings.

South Africans casted their vote for their favourite travel brands and businesses over the past month, as nominated by the South African Travel Massive blogger community.

With over 50 000 votes cast, Managing Director of Cheapflights Andrew Shelton said: We were overwhelmed by the response and the number of votes that came in for our first ever travel awards.

We want to thank everyone for participating and congratulate them for being recognised as one of the top performers in their category.

South Africa is a premiere destination, with world class offerings, and it shows in the numbers with international visitors to South Africa is growing by 30 percent year-on-year.

Shelton was joined by a delegation of Cheapflights colleagues, who over the course of a three-day visit met with a number of tourism industry stakeholders and partners to better understand the South African travel market, and discuss the benefits of the Cheapflights metasearch products to both businesses and consumers here.

Cheapflights has seen a 69 percent increase in demand over the last 12 months, across its web and app platforms, and revenue growth of 131 percent – evidence, he believes, of a growing wanderlust in the Rainbow Nation.

The falling value of the Pound, and the increased competition that platforms like ours bring to a market, are all good news for South African travellers.

By giving them accurate and timely information on the best value flights when they are searching, we help them to make the best choices simplifying what can be a daunting and confusing process, and giving them to confidence to make a purchase.

The 2016 Cheapflights Inaugural Travel Awards featured a keynote address delivered by Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, who provided insight into the current developments in Cape Town and surrounds.

Cheapflights.co.za also partnered with Africa Geographic and Travel Massive for the first time.

The winners of the 2016 Cheapflights Inaugural Travel Awards were:

Best Airport

OR Tambo International Airport

Best Airline Lounge:

Emirates at Cape Town International

Best Local Airline:

South African Airways

Best Airline in Africa:

Air Namibia

Best Int’l Airline:

Emirates

Best Car Hire:

Avis

Best Hotel Chain:

Tsogo Sun

Best City Boutique:

One & Only

SOUTH AFRICA: Immigration Amendments Welcome News!

The announcement to amendment the Immigration Regulations was jointly made on Friday, the 23rd of October, by the Tourism Ministry and minister in the Presidency for planning, monitoring and evaluation, Jeff Radebe. New amended regulations can mean only positive results for the South African tourism industry.

The news on amendments to Immigration Regulations have been announced just before the festive season and could not be more welcomed by tourism stakeholders in South Africa. New visa changes have been introduced to address apprehensions raised by tourists, South African travellers and stakeholders in the tourism sector regarding revisions introduced over the last year. The announcement was jointly made on Friday the 23rd of October by the Tourism Ministry and Jeff Radebe, minister in the Presidency for planning, monitoring and evaluation.

New visa rules that came into effect in October 2014, made traveling into South Africa slightly inconvenient. Visitors had to apply for visas in person at South African embassies to record biometric information. The rule for children under 18 years old travelling in and out of South Africa to produce an unabridged birth certificate at entry ports was also introduced, causing much confusion and inconvenience. While it has been noted by the government that these requirements were necessary to safeguard the best interests of children, a recent Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Immigration, headed by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, has now made several recommendations to deal with the security consideration and the unplanned consequences of the regulations on various sectors, including tourism and investment.

Cape Town Tourism chief executive Enver Duminy said in a statement that the tourism industry would benefit from the approved recommendations allowing travel agents to make visa applications on behalf of their clients and that the birth certificate requirement for travelling minors would no longer include the word "unabridged". Additionally, the Department of Home Affairs will increase Visa Facilitation Centres around the world which will significantly aid in effective visa applications. Streamlining processes and procedures are fundamental to these amended regulations.

To assist with crucial investment by international companies into South Africa, the department will also introduce an Accredited Tourism Company (ATC) Programme for China, India and Russia, with possible extension to other visa requiring countries. This is a important step to ensure economic growth in South Africa and an integral part of the amended regulations.

Many other recommendations have also been put in place to ensure that South Africa becomes an accessible place to visit. From a visa application, through to travelling back home; it should be a valuable and smooth process. The new regulations are committed to building a professional, modern, world class department fully capable to provide secure and efficient identity and immigration systems without jeopardising tourism and investment. There was such a vast statistical decrease in travellers coming into the country between 2014 and 2015 that these amended regulations can only mean positive results for the tourist industry.

Planning a trip to South Africa? Use the simple infographic below to avoid the confusion and to become informed with the latest SA Immigration Regulations. Assisting countries in navigating information and changes are clearly mapped out here.

SOUTH AFRICA: Michellene Leo Appointed To Board Of Cape Town Tourism

Michellene Leo, Marketing Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, Cape Town, has been voted onto the board of Cape Town Tourism.

Following her nomination to the board, she was voted in at the Cape Town Tourism AGM held on October 29th in the Southern Sun hotel.

An 18 year veteran of the hotel and tourism industry, Michellene has previously worked at Protea Hotels and the Taj Resort and Palaces.

Commenting on her appointment she said, “I am delighted to be voted onto the board of Cape Town Tourism and I’m happy to be representing the hotel sector. Tourism is the life blood of Cape Town and Cape Town Tourism is one of the leading tourism bodies in the world. It’s a huge honour for me.

I see my contribution as one where I can contribute to selling and marketing Cape Town as the preferred destination in South Africa throughout the year for South Africans and also to visitors from wider afield in Southern Africa.

We have a beautiful city, but we cannot just rely on that. We have to work hard and smart to set ourselves apart from the competition. I’m excited for what lies ahead, and I’d like to thank everyone for their support.”

Michellene, apart from handling the marketing function for Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, is also an expert in digital and social media. She prides herself in staying in front of the latest trends in tourism and hospitality.

“I see a huge advantage in having Michellene on the board of Cape Town Tourism,” said Debra Sivertsen, General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront. “She will be the first to highlight the ever shifting trends in visitor attitudes and behaviour. This will be an invaluable aid as our city navigates its way through a sometimes challenging environment.”

The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group promotes Woman in Leadership and Debra is the Champion for the WIL Programme the Sub Sahara and Africa region.

SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town Tourism Sector Must Not Rest

Cape Town's tourism industry should not rest on its laurels but keep up the good work and act on strategies aimed at strengthening year-round tourism, Executive Mayor of Cape Town Patricia de Lille said at Cape Town Tourism's annual general meeting.

Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy declared that Cape Town is truly becoming a 365 destination at the organisation’s AGM on Thursday, which focused on the holistic approach to tourism in the city taken over the past year.

“Cape Town Tourism is closely monitoring visitor trends, and is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming holiday season, especially since domestic tourism remains the focus during December and January. Placing the emphasis on campaigns such as ‘Hello Weekend’, the ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ video series which showcases select city suburbs and a drive to encourage visitors to ‘travel like a local’ will add impetus to tourism-related businesses”, Duminy said.

Duminy indicated that the latest statistics indicate positive growth year-on-year in air travel to Cape Town and that Cape Town Tourism’s strategies in combatting seasonality had paid off.

Specifically, Duminy highlighted a successful “Hello Weekend” campaign that resulted in 21% increase in domestic bookings and the impact that this had in combatting seasonality in tourism – the campaign specifically designed to attract visitors in off-peak season.

He reminded everyone that achievements were made despite the current tourism industry climate which has taken a significant knock from the birth certificate requirements, biometric visas and the tail-end of the Ebola crisis, and thanked David Frost of the South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) for his commitment to the industry in light of Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom’s announcement that some of the visa and birth certificate regulations will be relaxed.

Key statistics and highlights he mentioned included that the total airport arrival figures are up 3.4% year-on-year - domestic arrivals by 2.9%, regional arrivals by 6.4% and international arrivals by 6.1%. Of the big attractions, Kirstenbosch Garden showed a favourable 29% increase in visitors.

The increased capacity at Cape Town International has had a positive effect on regional and international arrivals and presents an opportunity going forward.

Councillor Garreth Bloor, Mayoral Committee Member, Tourism, Events and Economic Development added that a long-term strategy aimed at counteracting seasonality is already in place and that this is encouraging tourists to stay longer, spend more and visit more places. He mentioned the specific targeting of niche tourist markets as one means of growing tourism in the city.