SA resorts under threat after attack
MOZAMBIQUE: JIHADISTS OCCUPY HOLIDAY ISLANDS
‘They didn’t hurt anyone, they just ordered us to leave.’
Jihadists in northern Mozambique occupied two small islands in the Indian Ocean last week, threatening tourism and maritime traffic in the region where a multibillion-dollar offshore gas exploration project is being developed.
The occupied islands are Mecungo and Vamizi, part of the Quirimbas archipelago which is known as a diving and holiday paradise, and also is home to a number of luxury holiday resorts, many of them involving South African interests. Nearby popular resort islands include Ibo Island and Medjumbe Island.
It is not exactly clear what the situation is regarding the resorts and their safety, as news coming from the region is patchy, at best.
According to an employee of
Siyabona Africa, a Cape Townbased tour operator offering luxury holiday packages to several Mozambican destinations, including Ibo Island Lodge and Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort, they have received absolutely no advisories or reports from the area.
The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorised to comment, said all the lodges have been closed because of the Covid-19 travel restrictions, so no guests could have been on the islands at the time of the takeover.
The company did not know what the status of the resorts was and if they would be able to open once Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.
“We can only wait and see how the situation develops,” she said.
The occupation of the islands came a month after the Islamic State-linked insurgents occupied the strategic port town of Mocimboa da Praia, which was used for cargo deliveries for the development of the gas project. Witnesses said militants seized control of the islands of Mecungo and Vamizi on Wednesday night last week.
“They arrived at night in small fishing boats. They removed people from the houses and then torched them,” said one man who had fled to Mecungo island from Mocimboa da Praia.
“They didn’t hurt anyone, they just ordered us to leave the islands,” he said by phone, adding that he had moved inland to the ruby mining town of Montepuez.
Another witness said that before the houses were burned down, the insurgents held meetings with people and instructed everyone to leave the island.
“They got us together and told us to run away if we want to live. I think everyone left the island,” one said.
Government forces are still battling to retake the Mocimboa da Praia port since it was occupied on 12 August.
It’s taken a while – 26 years – but could this be the moment that the ANC finally realises that ethics is not the name of a county in England? Our ruling party did the right thing yesterday in announcing it would “pay back the money” which it had cost the South African Air Force (SAAF) to fly an ANC delegation to Harare aboard a VIP jet.
Yet, that step on to the path of righteousness happened only after spirited dancing around the issues and ducking and diving from the party and its leaders, who tried to imply that the meeting with Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party was an official government mission.
Clearly, none of the ANC hierarchy – including President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was well aware of the excursion – ever thought there would be such an explosion of public and political disgust at the blatant capture and misuse of taxpayer-funded resources.
Thus, while the reparations are to be welcomed, we doubt that the ruling party had a sudden attack of conscience. After all, it’s never happened before.
Sundry ministers and government officials have, it must be said, come up with creative excuses to justify looting for personal benefit – the best example being the multi-residence homestead at Nkandla for former president Jacob Zuma.
Who can forget the straight-faced explanation that the swimming pool, built under instruction from the department of public works, was a critical component of the residence’s fire-fighting system?
It is too early to hope that the ANC has realised that its own piggy bank should not be filled with taxpayer rands … after all, habits of a lifetime are hard to break.
Some suggestions, though, for Luthuli House: No VIP flights, except on government business, two bodyguards, maximum, for ministers only; and a R500 000 limit on official cars.
Remember, comrades – you work for us…