The immediate issue of land confiscation makes this a non-starter but let's, for the moment, consider land ownership in Southern Africa a viable proposition. Most of us would like a large ranch--1,000 plus hectares--where we and our friends and family can experience virtually non-stop African hunting. It doesn't work. The numbers won't work. It is almost exactly like having a similar sized ranch in South Texas with 60 head of cattle. If you want cattle, then you won't be able to go out and butcher one every time you think about a juicy hamburger. If you want a ranch that continues to have about 60 cattle, you can only remove a few every year. Of that 'few' maybe you can take a couple of 'trophy' bulls. Of course, it is, in fact, a little different in Africa because there are [usually] multiple game species, each with somewhat different diets meaning that, overall, you can 'carry' more than 60 head of game. But the principle is the same. The game now belongs to you like that picture in your library belongs to you. It isn't free. Unlike the library picture, game needs to be maintained with adequate food, water and shelter. Fail to do so and the game simply dies during the next drought. Unfortunately, such considerations may all belong to the past. After the fall of Zimbabwe to Mugabe, I reckoned South Africa would quickly collapse, and for all the same reasons. I was wrong. It has lasted these many years but, unless there is a breath of sanity…….almost all the game [and cattle] will likely be cut up for biltong. And the farmers? And what about the starving masses that the government can't provide jobs for? Are we looking at another wave of pitiful illegal immigrants?
