Tour operator treated with ‘kid gloves’ inanti-competition probe

The Namibian Competition Commission(NaCC) has granted Ultimate Safaris a 90-day extension to respond to an investigation into its allegedly c agreement. According to a statement issued by NaCC spokesperson Dina Gowases, the extension was granted in terms of the Competition Act of 2003. “The extension was granted, but there was no request to suspend the commission’s investigation. The investigation remains ongoing,” Gowases says. She says the act requires parties to respond to the commission’s investigation within a specified time frame, which is usually 30 days. “However, the commission is always amenable to providing extensions upon reasonable requests,” she says. This has led to some critics claiming that the NaCC is treating Ultimate Safaris with kid gloves when it comes to compliance with its directives, considering the length of time the company has been allowed to avoid following an NaCC directive to scrap its illegal agreement. Gowases says the commission initially instructed the parties – Ultimate Safaris and three conservancies – Sorris Sorris, Doro Nawas and Uibasen – to cease the conduct of exclusive agreements within 30 days. “However, the commission was approached by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to discuss ways in which to address the concerns of the commission and reach an amicable resolution. “These discussions took place from February 2025 to the end of that year without reaching an amicable way forward and following these discussions, the commission resolved to initiate the investigation since the conduct persists,” Gowases says. “The 90-day extension does not stop the commission’s investigation as it remains ongoing,” she says. The investigation stems from a dispute between the tour company and the conservancies on one hand, and mining developer Timoteus Mashuna on the other. Mashuna owns mining claims at Goantagab Mine in the Sorris Sorris conservancy and wants to start mining operations there. The high-grade tin mine was mined by South African Pieter Hougaard, who at one time exported N$2 million worth of tin to China. He has, however, failed to renew his mining licence and lost it to Mashuna. Ultimate Safaris director Tristan Cowley and the conservancies strongly opposed Mashuna’s reopening of the mine and took the matter to court. It is still to be finalised. They say mining operations at Goantagab, which is located inside a joint management area they established, will scare off the black rhinos on which their tourism business is based. Mashuna then approached the NaCC, complaining that the establishment of the area was against competition as it gave Ultimate Safaris exclusive rights over a large piece of land to the exclusion of other business interests. The commission agreed with Mashuna and directed that Ultimate Safaris dismantle the agreement, which gave the company exclusive rights over 27 000 hectares of land in the Kunene region, within 30 days. The tourism company roped in the environment ministry in February 2025 to intervene on its behalf. Cowley could not be reached for comment. – email: [email protected] The post Tour operator treated with ‘kid gloves’ inanti-competition probe appeared first on The Namibian .