Kruger National Park Calendar - December!

Weather:

• height of summer
• very hot & humid days
• warm nights
• often spectacular lightning storms

Temperatures:

• between 18°C - 34°C (Fahrenheit: e.g. 34°C = [(34x9)]/5 + 32 = 93.2°F)
• visit our webcam page for live footage from Kruger National Park!

Landscape:

• vigorous plat growth everywhere in the park
• tree canopy very thick
• fig trees in fruit
• mopane tree in flower

Animal Activity:

• height of the impala breeding season
• predators out to get their young
• most resident non-raptor birds breeding
• animal activity all over the park

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Cape Town: Six more Nature Reserves in the pipeline!

The City of Cape Town has announced that is has supported the commencement of the process to expand nine existing Nature Reserve and the proclamation of six new Nature Reserves. The proposed new nature reserves in Cape Town include Ariesfontein Nature Reserve, Haasendal Nature Reserve, Soetwater Nature Reserve, Symphony Way Nature Reserve, Van Schoorsdrift Nature Reserve and Westlake Nature Reserve. The Nature Reserves in Cape Town up for expansion are Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, False Bay Nature Reserve, Harmony Flats Nature Reserve, Steenbras Nature Reserve, Table Bay Nature Reserve, Tygerberg Nature Reserve, Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserve, Wolfgat Nature Reserve and Zandvlei Nature Reserve.

The landscape at Soetwater Nature Reserve

"The City, through its Biodiversity Management Branch, is dedicated to conserving, restoring and managing Cape Town’s unique biodiversity and natural resources. These efforts will assist the City’s resilience, and preserve natural assets for generations to come", said City of Cape Town's  Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

The formal proclamation process which includes public participation will soon commence in collaboration with CapeNature. CapeNature is the public institution with the responsibility for biodiversity conservation in South Africa's Western Cape,

Western Cape: Update on road closures and repairs following the adverse weather conditions in September 2023!

The Western Cape Government has released an update on road closures and repairs to road infrastructure in the Western Cape following the severe rainfall and subsequent flooding on the weekend of 22 – 25 September 2023. According to the Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, immediately after the adverse weather system, 154 roads in the Western Cape had to be closed. This included sections of the N2 and N1, making relief and rescue work difficult. This number is now down to 37 roads. Steady progress is being made to reopen all affected roads including the following:

• Clarence Drive remains closed, but it is currently possible to travel from Gordon’s Bay to the “The Grille Shack” and back. On-site repair teams are working from both “The Grille Shack” and Rooi Els sides to restore those parts of the road that repair teams can reach. The Western Cape Government is confident that the section of Clarence Drive between the “The Grille Shack” and Kogel Bay Beach will be open by the end of November 2023. It is currently not clear when the entire length of Clarence Drive will be open to two-way traffic due to significant damage to the road between Kogel Bay Beach and Rooi Els. However, the DOI is focusing on reopening one lane of traffic along Clarence Drive, with traffic flow managed by stop/ go traffic controls as soon as it is safe to do so.
• The Hemel-en-Aarde Road remains closed between Caledon and Hermanus, but it is currently possible to travel between Caledon and Camphill. There is an alternative route between Camphill via Karwyderskraal to the R43 near Hermanus. The section from Camphill to the R43 remains closed for repairs. A geotechnical engineer has declared this section of the road unsafe. The DOI has deployed teams to start work on building temporary bypasses in unstable areas for single lane of traffic. Once the single-lane temporary bypasses are in place along this road, traffic will be managed through stop/ go traffic operations.
• Work is well under way to fully reopen the R43 and R44 intersection near Kleinmond. Single lane traffic is currently open at this intersection managed by stop / go operations. After initial assessments and further investigations, it has been determined that the repairs at this intersection are expected to be completed by the end of January 2024.
• Franschhoek Pass remains closed due to landslides. Teams are working to reopen one lane of traffic by the end of November 2023. Once a single lane has been reopened, traffic will be managed through stop/ go traffic operations. However, it is unlikely that heavy motor vehicles will be allowed to use this pass when it is opened to single-lane traffic.

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has started work on repairing the section of the N2 in the vicinity of Botrivier which was washed away, and they report that they are hoping to reopen the road by the end of November 2023.

Cape Town: Nettleton stairs at Lion's Head to close for maintenance!

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that the Nettleton stairs at Lions Head in Cape Town's Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) will be closed due to maintenance from 01 November 2023 to 10 November 2023. The public access will be limited during this time. SANParks kindly requests National Park users to make use of other approved footpaths.

Lion's Head is a mountain in Cape Town between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. It peaks at 669 metres above sea level. Lion's Head is known for its views of both the city and the Atlantic Seaboard. The hour-long walk to the top is particularly popular during full moon.

Namibia: National Marine Aquarium in Swakopmund closed to the public until further notice!

The Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) has announced that the National Marine Aquarium in the coastal town of Swakopmund is closed to the public with immediate effect due to major repairs and rehabilitation work to be conducted in the facility. According to the Ministry, years of exposure to seawater has caused damage to many of the external and internal concrete structures of the Aquarium as well as the steel reinforcing inside the concrete. The extent of the structural damage is not known yet, so that the exact period of the closure can currently not be determined. However, the Ministry expects the closure to last "for several months, or even up to the end of 2024." We'll keep you posted!

The National Marine Aquarium in Swakopmund was inaugurated by former Namibian President Dr. Sam Nujoma in 1995. The main display of the Aquarium is the oval tank with a capacity of 320 000 liters of seawater and an eight meter acrylic viewing tunnel. It hosts most of the Namibian angling fish species, such as cob, galjoen, steenbras and kolstert. Intertidal specimens are displayed in 17 smaller exhibits.

Zimbabwe: Construction of a new multi-purpose complex at Hwange National Park's main entrance point has commenced!

The construction of a state-of-the-art multi-purpose complex at the main entrance and exit point to Hwange National Park in north-west Zimbabwe has commenced. The building, which is expected to cost about US$1.4 million, will comprise a new one-stop gate, tourism offices, an exhibition centre, visitor and cultural centres, staff and ranger housing and a car park. The new complex is the first significant investment since ZimParks, the Zimbabwean Parks & Wildlife Management Authority, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), one of the largest animal welfare and conservation charities in the world, have signed a 25-year agreement to secure a US$50 million partnership to support wildlife conservation in Hwange National Park. According to ZimParks director-general Dr Fulton Mangwanya, the construction of the multi-purpose complex is expected to be complete by June 2024.

With 45,000 elephants, over 100 species of mammals, and 400 bird species, Hwange National Park is a core part of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) - the world’s largest transfrontier conservation area—established to promote conservation and tourism development. At a staggering 520,000 km² - an area almost the size of Germany and Austria combined - KAZA comprises a mosaic of land uses, with 36 formally proclaimed Pational Parks and three UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Zambia: Zambia Airways to resume flights to Zimbabwe!

The national airline of the Republic of Zambia, Zambia Airways, is set to resume flights to Zimbabwe. The airline, which temporarily discontinued flights between Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) in Lusaka and RG Mugabe International Airport (HRE) in Harare earlier this month due to "in-house logistics" [src.], has annouced the resumption of the service from 01 November 2023. Zambia Airways will operate three weekly return flights to Harare on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

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South Africa's Blue Flag beaches, boats & marinas 2023/24!

A total of 48 beaches in South Africa, along with four marinas and six tourism boats have been awarded full Blue Flag status by the 2023/24 International Blue Flag Jury. 23 Blue Flag pilot sites were recognised this year for their efforts in meeting the minimum requirements for Blue Flag status.
The Western Cape has achieved the highest number of Blue Flag sites, with 35 beaches, all six tourism boats and three of the four Blue Flag marinas. The Eastern Cape has been awarded one Blue Flag marina site, as well as eight Blue Flag beaches. KwaZulu-Natal has been awarded five Blue Flag beaches.

Western Cape Blue Flag beaches:

1. Cape Town - Silwerstroomstrand  
2. Cape Town - Clifton 4th  
3. Cape Town - Camps Bay  
4. Cape Town - Llandudno  
5. Cape Town - Muizenberg  
6. Cape Town - Bikini
7. Cape Town - Melkbosstrand
8. Cape Town - Fishhoek  
9. Kleinmond (Overstrand Municipality) - Kleinmond  
10. Hermanus (Overstrand Municipality) - Hawston  
11. Hermanus (Overstrand Municipality) - Grotto
12. Pearly Beach (Overstrand Municipality) - Castle Beach
13. Struisbaai (Cape Agulhas Municipality) - Struisbaai
14. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Lappiesbaai   
15. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Preekstoel
16. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Stilbaai Wes
17. Still Bay (Hessequa Municipality) - Jongensfontein
18. Witsand (Hessequa Municipality) - Witsand  
19. Gouritzmond (Hessequa Municipality) - Gouritzmond
20. Mossel Bay - Santos  
21. Mossel Bay - De Bakke
22. Mossel Bay - Hartenbos   
23. Mossel Bay - Klein Brak
24. Mossel Bay - Glentana
25. Wilderness (Garden Route District & George Municipality) - Wilderness
26. Herold's Bay (Garden Route District Municipality) - Herold's Bay
27. Victoria Bay (Garden Route District Municipality) - Victoria Bay
28. Brenton-on-Sea (Garden Route District Municipality) - Brenton-on-Sea
29. Bufallo Bay (Garden Route District Municipality) - Bufallo Bay
30. Keurboomstrand (Bitou Municipality) - The Waves
31. Keurboomstrand (Bitou Municipality) - The Dunes  
32. Natures Valley (Bitou Municipality) - Nature's Valley
33. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Lookout  
34. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Singing Kettle
35. Plettenberg Bay (Bitou Municipality) - Robberg 5 

Photo by Louis Smit on Unsplash

 
Western Cape Blue Flag marinas:

1. Cape Town - V&A Waterfront
2. Knysna - Thesen Islands (Home Owners)   
3. Knysna - Thesen Islands (Thesen Harbour Town)  

Western Cape Blue Flag boats:

1. Plettenberg Bay (Offshore Adventures) - Robberg Express
2. Plettenberg Bay (Offshore Adventures) - Oceanic Express
3. Gansbaai (Marine Dynamics) - Slashfin
4. Gansbaai (Dyer Island Cruises) - Whale Whisperer
5. Gansbaai (Dyer Island Cruises) - Dream Catcher
6. Gansbaai (White Shark Diving Company) - White Shark

Eastern Cape Blue Flag beaches:

1. Jeffreys Bay (Kouga Municipality) - Dolphin
2. Cape St Francis (Kouga Municipality) - Cape St Francis
3. Marina Martinique (Kouga Municipality) - Marina Martinique
4. Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - Humewood
5. Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - King's
6. Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Municipality) - Hobie
7. Kenton-on-Sea (Ndlambe Municipality) - Kariega
8. Kenton-on-Sea (Ndlambe Municipality) - Middle Kenton-on-Sea
9. Port Alfred (Ndlambe Municipality) - Kelly's

Eastern Cape Blue Flag Marina:

1. Port Alfred (Ndlambe Municipality) - Royal Alfred

KwaZulu Natal Blue Flag beaches:

1. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Marina  
2. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Trafalgar
3. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Southport
4. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Umzumbe
5. Hibiscus Coast (Ray Nkonyeni Municipality) - Hiberdene

Blue Flag is a certification issued by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards. The main criterias include standards for water quality, safety, environmental education and information, the provision of services and general environmental management criteria. Blue Flag is sought for beaches and marinas as an indication of their high environmental and quality standards. In South Africa, the first country outside Europe to be granted Blue Flag accreditation for its beaches, the Blue Flag programme is managed by WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) in partnership with participating coastal municipalities.

South Africa: South African Airways is damp leasing two Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Sun Express!

South Africa's flag carrier, South African Airways (SAA), and Sun Express, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, have entered into a "damp lease" agreement that will allow SAA to operate a schedule utilising two SunExpress aircraft for a six-month period. Under the agreement, two Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Sun Express' fleet will operate flights from OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg on behalf of South African Airways during the airline’s high demand period. The first aircraft will start operations in mid-October 2023 and a second aircraft will be added depending on the capacity demand by SAA.

“This unique ACMI* is a short-term tactical intervention in SAA’s fleet strategy, as we are working on the deployment of our long-term dry-leased four A320s. We are pleased with our relationship with SunExpress and are excited with its potential as we both manage the seasonality of passenger traffic in our respective geographic markets”, said John Lamola, Chief Executive of SAA.

The "damp lease" agreement  between South African Airways (SAA) and Sun Express covers the provision of aircraft, maintenance, and cockpit crew, whilst the aircraft will be served by SAA’s cabin crew to maintain the airline's customer service standards. For maintenance of these aircraft, SunExpress has contracted SAA Technical (SAAT) to perform any required work, at its cost, on these aircraft whilst they are operated by South African Airways.

 *ACMI stands for Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance. There are two main types of ACMI lease - wet leasing and damp leasing.

• Wet leasing - the supplying airline (the lessor) is providing Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance to a customer airline (the lessee)
• Damp leasing - the customer airline (the lessee) is providing all or part of its own cabin crew 
  

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Durban: All beaches are closed until further notice!

The eThekwini Municipality, the local government body responsible for governing and managing Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, has announced that all City beaches are closed until further notice. Following the recent heavy rains the murky sea water is full of logs and other unsafe objects. As a result, the shark nets at most beaches were broken making beaches unsafe for the public to use. All water activities at beaches in Durban are therfore prohibited. However, residents and visitors can still enjoy other activities along the beaches that do not require them to come into contact with sea water. According to the announcement by the eThekwini Municipality, work is already underway to fix the shark nets and infrastructure that was damaged by the heavy rains. We'll keep you posted!

Cape Town: Muizenberg coastal walkway repairs underway!

The City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management branch has announced that concrete repairs and maintenance of the Muizenberg coastal walkway between Muizenberg and St James are set to commence. The project will also include specific repairs to the St James tidal pool.
The repair work forms part of the ongoing coastal infrastructure maintenance. In terms of the coastal walkway, the main focus will be on the section from St James up until just before the Baileys Cottage. Then, at the St James tidal pool, the main break in the pool wall and various leaks will be repaired. The project is expected to be completed by 30 November 2023.
The work will be split into three phases starting from the St James tidal pool. All visitors to the area will be diverted from the coastal walkway to the pavement along Main Road via the railway underpasses while construction is under way. The phases, respective underpasses and the estimated timing of each phase will vary.

The City of Cape Town will provide adequate signage to direct the public accordingly:

• Phase 1 is planned to take place from 16 October 2023 to 02 November 2023
• Phase 2 is planned to take place from 03 November 2023 to 17 November 2023
• Phase 3 is planned to take place from 20 November 2023 to 30 November 2023

The site camp for the walkway construction team will be located at the Surfer's Corner Parking area behind Muizenberg Station.

The City of Cape Town will commence with repairs to the St James Tidal pool on 23 October 2023, pending any adverse weather and sea conditions. The work should be concluded by the end of October 2023 if all goes as planned. During this time the pool and showers will be closed to the public.

4th World Culinary Awards: South Africa named Africa's Best Culinary Destination 2023!

The winners of the 4th World Culinary Awards, the global initiative to recognise and reward excellence in the culinary industry, have been announced in Dubai on 16 October 2023. South Africa was named Africa's Best Culinary Destination 2023, while Cape Town collected Africa’s Best Culinary City Destination 2023 award. The Pier Restaurant in Cape Town was voted Africa's Best Restaurant 2023, Siba The Restaurant @ The Table Bay hotel in Cape Town was awarded Africa's Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant 2023, Salsify at the Roundhouse in Camps Bay was named Africa's Best Landmark Restaurant 2023, TANG V&A Waterfront in Cape Town won the category Africa's Best New Restaurant 2023, The 11th Floor in Bedfordview scooped the award for being Africa's Best Rooftop Restaurant 2023 and the DSTV Delicious International Food & Music Festival in Sandton was voted Africa's Best Culinary Festival 2023. Congratulations! The results follow a year-long search for the world’s leading culinary brands. Votes were cast by culinary industry professionals and the general public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.

"Our World Culinary Awards 2023 winners represent stellar examples of excellence in the culinary industry, and I congratulate each and every one for helping to raise the collective benchmark to even greater heights. My congratulations to each of them", said Rina van Staden, Director of the World Culinary Awards.

The winners of the World Culinary Awards by country (Southern Africa):

• Angola:
• Angola's Best Restaurant 2023
• Restaurante KOOK Angola, Luanda
  
• Angola's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• Kimera @ EPIC SANA Luanda, Luanda
• Botswana:
• Botswana's Best Restaurant 2023
• The Beef Baron Grill & Rib Room, Gaborone
  
• Botswana's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• Xigera Restaurant @ Xigera Safari Lodge, Moremi Game Reserve
  
• Eswatini:
• Eswatini's Best Restaurant 2023
• Ramblas Restaurant, Mbabane
  
• Eswatini's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• The Lihawu Restaurant @ The Royal Villas, Ezulwini Valley
  
• Mozambique:
• Mozambique's Best Restaurant 2023
• Zambi Maputo, Maputo
  
• Mozambique's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• Bistro @ Avenida Hotel Maputo, Maputo
• Namibia:
• Namibia's Best Restaurant 2023
• The Tug Restaurant, Swakopmund
  
• Namibia's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• Ekipa @ Hilton Windhoek, Windhoek
  
• South Africa:
• South Africa's Best Restaurant 2023
• Pier Restaurant, Cape Town
• South Africa's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• Qunu @ Saxon Hotel, Villa & Spa, Johannesburg
  
• Zambia:
• Zambia's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• The Curate Restaurant @ InterContinental Lusaka, Lusaka
  
• Zimbabwe:
• Zimbabwe's Best Restaurant 2023
• Restaurant Johannes De Bruijn, Harare
  
• Zimbabwe's Best Hotel Restaurant 2023
• Livingstone Room @ The Victoria Falls Hotel, Victoria Falls
  

This suburb in Cape Town is one of the 40 coolest neighbourhoods in the world!

Global culture, entertainment and events magazine Time Out has asked some 12,000 city-dwellers about the coolest spots in their city right now. And for the sixth year running, these views got combined with expert input from Time Out's global network of local editors and writers, to compile the sixth annual ranking of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods. According to the results of the 2023 edition, Sea Point in Cape Town is again one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world. The hood, which is situated between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, a few kilometres to the west of Cape Town's Central Business District (CBD), was named 21st coolest neighbourhood in the world.

Photo by Karabo Mdluli on Unsplash

Time Out's contributor Richard Holmes, a travel, food and lifestyle writer based in Cape Town, describes the suburb as follows: "Sea Point has long been popular for the five-kilometre seaside promenade and public gardens that draw a refreshingly diverse crowd of locals and tourists. It’s a beautiful slice of Cape Town, but Sea Point is much more than the promenade – leave it behind and discover the vibrant multiculturalism of this 200-year-old suburb just west of downtown. It’s long been home to a Jewish community (the city’s only eruv is here), and today draws a happy mix of young professionals, pan-African migrants and digital nomads. Beyond the seaside promenade, the colourful Main Road is the heart of the action – a space for soaking up street boutiques, on-trend eateries and – of course – admiring the sparkling Atlantic Ocean winking back between the high-rises." [src.: Time Out]

Time Out’s Coolest Neighborhoods for 2023:

1. Laureles: Medellin, Colombia
2. Smithfield: Dublin, Ireland
3. Carabanchel: Madrid, Spain
4. Havnen: Copenhagen, Denmark
5. Sheung Wan: Hong Kong
6. Brunswick East: Melbourne, Australia
7. Mid-City, New Orleans
8. Isola: Milan, Italy
9. West: Amsterdam, Netherlands
10. Tomigaya: Tokyo, Japan
    

See the full list of 40 neighborhoods here. 

Portugal: TAP Air Portugal to increase flights to Maputo!

The flag carrier Portugal, TAP Air Portugal, is set to increase flights to Maputo in Mozambique. The airline, which is currently operating three weekly non-stop flights between Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) in Lisbon and Maputo International Airport (MPM) in Maputo, will introduce a fourth weekly service next summer. Effective 31 March 2024, TAP Air Portugal will operate flights from Lisbon to Maputo every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday and from Maputo back to Lisbon every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays. The route will be served on board an Airbus A330-900.

• Lisbon 19:15 > 06:45+1 Maputo
• Maputo 08:30 > 18:25 Lisbon

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Cape Town: Section of Kloof Road closed for up to 18 month to repair storm damage! [update]

update (14 November 2023):  The City of Cape Town's Urban Mobility Directorate has announced that Kloof Road between Kloof Nek Road and Round House Road will remain closed for repairs for an estimated period of 24 months. Unfortunately, this section of the road is deemed unsafe for use due to extreme storm damage and will require major reconstruction.

The City of Cape Town's Urban Mobility Directorate has announced that Kloof Road between Kloof Nek Road and Round House Road will be temporarily closed to the public. According to a press release by the City, the estimated timeline for the necessary work could be 12 to 18 months before the road in Cape Town can be opened completely. The section of Kloof Road was deemed unsafe for use following the severe rainfall and subsequent flooding on Heritage Day long weekend (22 – 25 September 2023). The volume of rain over this weekend in an already saturated environment caused uncontrolled surface water runoff, which resulted in the instability of the embankment. This instability caused what is called slip failure of the slope along Kloof Road, meaning, the road surface and underlying layers are currently unstable and is therefore not safe for public access. We'll keep you posted! 

George (Western Cape): George Airport (GRJ) is currently experiencing technical disruptions due to power cuts! [update]

update (13 August 2023): According to ACSA, George Airport (GRJ) in George is fully operational again.

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced that George Airport (GRJ) in George in South Africa's Western Cape is currently experiencing technical disruptions due to unforeseen power related challenges. These disruptions have impacted the airport's IT systems, including check-in services, parking operations and flight information displays. Work is underway to restore full functionality to the airport's systems. We'll keep you posted!

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Cape Town: Main runway at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) temporarily closed! [update #2]

update (13 October 2023): ACSA has announced that the main runway at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town has been reopened this morning at 07:00! Based on the results of a comprehensive friction assessment, it was determined that all residue has been removed.

update (13 October 2023): ACSA just released an update. According the update, the main runway at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town remains closed. To determine the safe use of the runway, a surface friction assessment is currently being conducted. An estimated 600 passengers were affected by the runway closure, however with the support of Cape Town Tourism affected passengers were provided with overnight accommodation at several nearby hotels. 

The main runway at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town is currently closed due to an aircraft (TAAG Angola Airlines) that developed technical issues on the runway. The incident happend just after 14:00 on 12 October 2023. The aircraft was subsequently removed from the main runway, and this was followed by a runway inspection by the airport's Fire and Rescue teams which uncovered a hydraulic fuel spill on the tarmac. According to Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), cleanup operations are underway, but still ongoing. ACSA's latest update was released at 21:21 on 12 October 2023 on Facebook.
As a result, no flights can take off or land at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) and haveto be diverted. Travellers have been advised to get in touch with their respective airlines to find out about updated flight details. We'll keep you posted!

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South Africa: Africa's first "Time Out Market" to open in Cape Town in November 2023!

The Time Out Group has annouced the opening date of the first "Time Out Market" in Africa. The "Time Out Market Cape Town" is set to open to the public on 17 November 2023 at 11:00 at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. "Time Out Market" is a food and cultural market that brings the best of the city together under one roof: its best chefs, drinks and cultural experiences. The "Time Out Market" in Cape Town will offer across 30 000 sq ft (2787m²) a curated mix of 13 home-grown culinary concepts spanning many cultural influences and flavours. In addition, it will also boast local wines, beers, cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks at three bars as well as art and cultural experiences from Capetonian and South African local talent.

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Time Out Market Cape Town (@timeoutmarketcapetown)

Time Out Market Cape Town:

• Address: Time Out Market Cape Town, Old Power Station Building, Building 19, Dock Rd, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
• Parking: V&A Waterfront – the closest parking area is Portswood
• Opening times – from 17 November 2023:
• Sunday to Wednesday: 11:00 - 22:00
• Thursday to Saturday: 11:00 - 23:00

Angola: TAAG Angola Airlines to introduce flights to the UK!

According to reports from various aviation news websites, TAAG Angola Airlines, the flag carrier of Angola, is set to make a return to the United Kingdom. The airline, which just recently ordered four 787 Dreamliner aircraft from Boeing, is set to introduce a non-stop service on bord a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft between Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport (LAD) in Luanda and London Gatwick (LGW), the secondary international airport serving London. Flights are expected to commence on 14 December 2023. TAAG Angola Airlines has not released a schedule yet. However, British airline schedule analyst @SeanM1997 recently wrote on "X" (formerly twitter), that, according to his information, the airline will operate three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (LAD > LGW) and on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (LGW > LAD). We'll keep you posted! 

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Western Cape: Update on road closures and repairs following the recent adverse weather conditions! [update]

update (18 October 2023): The bridge to McGregor in the Western Cape has been reopened

The Western Cape Government has released an update on road closures and repairs in the Western Cape following the severe rainfall and subsequent flooding on the weekend of 22 – 25 September 2023. According to the Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, the damage is widespread and extensive. The current estimate of the total cost of the damage to provincial roads has been put at R500 million. Most of the damage caused by flooding included the silting up of the low water structures and culverts as well as of side drains, rock falls into side drains, erosion of existing earth drains or erosion behind lined drains and the damage of asphalt surfacing on three low water structures.

The latest update on the road closures in the Western Cape is as follows:

• Franschhoek Pass remains closed due to several slips (“landslides”) along the road. On-site repair teams are working to reopen one lane of traffic by 31 October 2023. Once a single lane has been reopened, traffic will be managed through stop/go traffic operations. At this point it is unlikely that heavy motor vehicles will be allowed to use this road until both lanes of the Pass have been reopened. The estimated cost of these repairs is not yet available.
• Clarence Drive remains closed for “through traffic” with only a section of the road opened from the Gordon’s Bay approach up to The Grille Shack restaurant.  On-site repair teams are still working from both The Grille Shack and Rooi Els sides of the closure to restore those parts of the road that repair teams can reach. The Department of Infrastructure is aiming to reopen one lane of traffic along Clarence Drive by mid to late December 2023. The estimated cost of these repairs can only be assessed once all the clearing has been done.
• The Hemel-en-Aarde road between Caledon and the R43 near Hermanus remains temporarily closed. Flood damage caused portions of the road to be scoured and washed away by the Onrusrivier which traverses through the Hemel and Aarde valley. The damage caused to the roadway and road fill has been assessed and is currently considered unsafe for public use. On-site repair teams are working in order to have the road reopened for one-lane traffic under traffic by the end of October 2023. Once a single lane has been reopened, temporary traffic accommodation measures will be implemented through stop/go traffic signals. Currently, the most important measure is to make the road safe and open again for use by the traveling public. Permanent repairs of the damaged road and road infrastructure is estimated to cost R80 million.
• Good progress is being made to fully reopen the road between the R317 and McGregor. Both lanes of this road are expected to be reopened to traffic by 20 October 2023. The entire project, including resurfacing, is expected to be complete by 31 October 2023. The estimated cost of these repairs is not yet available.
• A single lane of traffic is currently open at the intersection of the R43 and the R44 near Kleinmond. After initial assessments and further investigations, the repairs to the failed culvert at this intersection are expected to be complete by late January 2024. The estimated cost of these repairs is not yet available.
• The road through Meiringspoort (N12), between the towns of Klaarstroom and De Rust, was also damaged. The road has, however, been cleared of debris and siltation from the river overtopping some of the low water structures and is currently open to traffic without any traffic accommodation measures or single lane stop and go in place.
• update (11 October 2023): The Chapman's Peak Drive is open! It is hoped that Chapman’s Peak Drive will be reopened by the end of this week. This is subject to clearance from geotechnical consultants. Damage to the roadway was limited.

Cape Town: Steenbras River Gorge and Crystal Pools hiking trail closed for this hiking season!

The City of Cape Town has announced that the Steenbras River Gorge and Crystal Pools hiking trail will remain closed for this hiking season. The storm over the long weekend (22 – 25 September 2023) resulted in severe flooding of the Steenbras Nature Reserve and along Clarence Drive near Gordon's Bay. Rivers have been diverted and entire sections of the Steenbras River Gorge and Crystal Pools hiking trail have been washed away, and will take some time to repair.
The free of charge Klipspringer hiking trail remains closed due to no public access given severe damage to Clarence Drive. The free of charge Danie Miller hiking trail in Gordon's Bay is open, but should be used with caution due to strong flowing streams and loose, slippery rocks. Bookings for the Steenbras River Gorge are usually open from 01 October annually. According to Alderman Eddie Andrews, City of Cape Town's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, tt will take considerable time to do the necessary repairs. We'll keep you posted!

Cape Town: Table Bay Nature Reserve Rietvlei section bird hide temporarily closed!

Following the severe rainfall and subsequent flooding on the weekend of 22 – 25 September 2023, the Old Friend’s hide and a section of the boardwalk leading to the hide located in the  Rietvlei section of the Table Bay Nature Reserve in Cape Town have been temporarily closed. According to the City of Cape Town's Spatial Planning and Environment Directorate, the repairs are expected to take a month as there are structural concerns along the boardwalk. The closed off section will only be re-opened once the walkways are deemed safe. The rest of the boardwalk and the Sunset bird hide is open for visitors. Visitors can also consider the following activities:

• Hiking and jogging on the trails
• Birdwatching
• Braai and picnic on Rietvlei's shoreline
• Environmental education programmes on offer (enquire with reserve management)
• Sail, ski, powerboat, paddle and canoe at Rietvlei and Milnerton Aquatics Club
• Fishing at selected sites (freshwater fishing permit required)

Opening hours:

• Daily from 07:30 – 16:00 (exit reserve by 17:00)

Water sports hours:

• Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 16:30
• Weekends from 07:30 – 16:30

Angola lifts tourist visa requirement for travellers from 98 countries!

Angola has waived tourist visa requirements for citizens from several countries in a bid to boost local tourism. According to Presidential Decree No. 189/23 (29 September 2023), the country has passed a resolution to allow travellers from 98 countries visa-free entry for for a period of up to 30 days per entry and 90 days per year. For other types of visas than tourist visa, such as work, study, medical treatment or residence permit, foreign citizens have to request the corresponding visa from Angolan diplomatic missions or consular posts in their country of origin or habitual residence.
The 90-day visa-free stay in Angola is granted to travellers from the following coutries:

• Africa:
• Tanzania, Eswatini, Morocco, Lesotho, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Sychelles, Cape Verde and Algeria
• Asia:
• United Arab Emirates, Israel, Qatar, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Timor-Leste and China
• Europe:
• Switzerland, the Russian Federation, Germany, Sweden, the Vatican State, the Czech Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, the Principality of Monaco, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Norway, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Cyprus, Slovenia, Iceland and Italy and Portugal
• America:
• United States of America, Mexico, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Panama, Uruguay and Brazil
• Oceania:
• Australia, the Republic of Fiji, the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Nauru, New Zealand, the Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Independent United States of Samoa, the Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, Republic of Vanuatu and Niue
• Caribbean and Pacific region:
• Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Cook Islands, Jamaica, Republic of Kiribati and Dominican Republic. Saint Lucia, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Republic of Suriname and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Travellers from these 98 countries who are intending to visit Angola must present a passport valid for more than six months, a return ticket and, when necessary, an international vaccination certificate at the country's ports of entry.  The new directive takes effect immediately.

Namibia: Windhoek <> Okahandja road project 87% complete!

The CEO of the Namibian Roads Authority (RA), Conrad Lutombi, announced at a media briefing on the progress of the multi-billion-dollar Windhoek <> Okahandja road project during the official opening of an 11 km section of the road between the Omakunde and Gross Barmen interchange, that 87% of road project has been completed. The remaining 13% of work will be completed by March (May?) 2024. 

"Today we are opening another stretch of the road from Omakunde interchange up to the Gross Barmen interchange, which is just six kilometres away from the town of Okahandja. Motorists will now have an option to access Okahandja using this stretch or the off-ramp route via Osona. This is a dual carriage on both South and Northern directions," Lutombi said.

Mr Lutombi further announced that the 70 km complete stretch between Windhoek <> Okahandja, which was upgraded to a four-lane freeway, will be wholly opened to the public in December 2023 although not 100% complete. The official opening of the road, whose upgrade began in 2016, is expected to take place in July 2024. We'll keep you posted!

btw.: According to Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NRW), the opening of the new section of the Windhoek <> Okahandja road reduces the driving time between Windhoek and the Gross Barmen Resort by 30 minutes.

TAZARA: Temporary suspension of passenger train services in Zambia! [update]

update (10 October 2023): TAZARA's services in Zambia  are set to resume from today, so that crossborder passenger train services between Zambia and Tanzania are also back to normal.

• Kapiri-Mposhi to Dar es Salaam,  Tuesday 10 October 2023,  16:00 (On time).
• Dar es Salaam to Kapiri-Mposhi, Tuesday 10 October 2023, 13:50 (Departure likely to be delayed)

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) has announced that passenger train operations in Zambia have been suspended until further notice. According to the railway's management, this is due to goods train accidents that have recently occurred in the Kapwila-Msanza and Chankalamo-Kabuluma sections. Both accident spots are located in Zambia. TAZARA's passenger train operations in Tanzania are not affected by the accident. The Kilimanjaro Passenger Train will continue to run between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya only, based on the normal train schedules. TAZARA is planing to resume passenger train operations in Zambia next week. We'll keep you posted!

• Dar es Salaam > Mbeya: Tuesdays and Fridays
• Mbeya > Dar es Salaam: Wednesdays and Saturdays

© TAZARA

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) is a bi-national railway, jointly owned by the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Zambia on an equal share-holding basis. The 1,860 km-rail runs from Tanzania and East Africa’s major seaport of Dar es Salaam into the heart of Zambia's Central Province, terminating at New Kapiri-Mposhi, where it is further linked by road and rail to Zambia's capital city, Lusaka (about 200 km), Zambia's mining nerve centre, the Copperbelt province (about 100 km) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 

Southern Africa: Rainfall season (October 2023 - February 2024) outlook!

According to the findings of the Twenty-Seventh Annual Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-27), most member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)* are likely to receive normal to below-normal rainfall for most of the period from October 2023 to December 2023. The north-western part of Angola, much of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the southern half of Tanzania, north-eastern Zambia, northern Malawi, northern Mozambique, the Comoros, eastern Madagascar, and Mauritius are expected to experience normal to above-normal rains during this period. The northern half of Tanzania and the Seychelles are likely to receive above normal rainfall between October 2023 and December 2023.

The period December 2023 to February 2024 is expected to have normal to above normal rainfall for the bulk of the SADC region except for the south-western fringes of Namibia, south-western South Africa, the southern part of Zimbabwe, the eastern half of Botswana, northern South Africa, Eswatini and southern Mozambique where normal to below-normal rains are expected. Southernmost Madagascar will likely receive below normal rainfall during this period. The Seychelles is likely to receive above normal rainfall between December 2023 and February 2024.

* Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland), Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Kruger National Park Calendar - November!

Weather:

• early summer
• very hot days and warm evenings
• rain - rainfall usually double that of October

Temperatures:

• between 16°C - 32°C (Fahrenheit: e.g. 28°C = [(28x9)]/5 + 32 = 82.4°F)
• visit our webcam page for live footage from Kruger National Park!

Landscape:

• lush vegetation
• many trees in flower
• new pans appear in drier areas
• river levels start rising

Animal Activity:

• breeding season underway for most animals
• plains animals very aggressive in protecting their young as predator activity increases
• explosion in insect activity after the first good rains

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