SEVEN South African tourists were arrested for illegally entering the Victoria Falls rainforest, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson Carol Washaya Moyo revealed yesterday.
NOKUTHABA DLAMINI OWN CORRESPONDENT
The tourists were identified as Erik Reties, Wynand Laff, Ivan Krugger Juan, Klarisa Yvonne, Rachea Blignaut, Susana Elizabeth and Retis Lubber. They were nabbed for using an undesignated entry point to view the waterfalls.
They were booked at a local hotel and were released upon payment of $20 each for entry and another $20 as a fine for illegal entry.
Washaya Moyo said at around 3pm on Saturday July 12, two rangers patrolling in the rainforest approached a group of seven South Africans who failed to produce receipts as proof of payment and had no passports on them.
“Upon receiving the report, the area manager for Victoria Falls, with his colleague, carried out investigations and learnt that the tourists discovered a hole as they were strolling down the banks of the Zambezi River when two unidentified men in plainclothes showed them the hole and asked to be assisted to enter into the waterfalls,” she said.
Washaya Moyo said the tourists were later fined.
“The authority wants to urge tourists to use designated entry points to the country’s tourist attraction sites to avoid unnecessary inconveniences,” she said.
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