Cape Town - Some tour operators say they have received complaints from clients who have slammed the service and cancellation of tours to Robben Island.
In December, at the peak of tourist visits to the island in the same month Nelson Mandela died, the Robben Island Museum cancelled a number of tours after it failed to secure enough chartered boats.
The museum was relying on hired boats to ferry tourists to the island as its main boat, Sikhululekile, was undergoing repairs. Since 2008, when it was first launched, the Sikhululekile has suffered repeated breakdowns.
On Thursday the City of Cape Town reported that visitors to Robben Island had declined by 5 percent last year compared with 2012.
Peter Pitout who runs tour company, Around The Cape in 80 Ways, said he had received a lot of complaints from tourists during the festive season about the service.
He said the complaints ranged from the lack of professionalism in the way the tours were run, to cancellations and the use of inadequate boats. Pitout said an American group returning from the island last month had become sick after being put on a small boat because the ferry they used to go there had broken down.
“They told me that it was not a well-run tour. It is a bit of an embarrassment sometimes. It is one of the world’s famous tours and people want to go there. It is where the world’s great man spent part of his life. The tours should be well run,” Pitout said.
Andile Nzuzo, who co-owns Inkululeko Freedom Route Tours, said some of his clients had not been happy about Robben Island.
“People would complain about the cancellation but others would understand that Robben Island is going through a few problems. They are trying to fix them,” Nzuzo said.
“Robben Island doesn’t have a plan B when they run into problems. Sometimes I feel there is a bit of negligence on their side.
“But they have assured us that they are fixing the problems.”
Nzuzo said their company booked tours for about 50 people a day. He said in the event of a cancelled Robben Island tour he would try to find an alternative trip because it was bad for business.
Robben Island spokesman Molefe Mabe said the Sikhululekile had returned to operation after Christmas but another ferry was still out of commission. He said 80 to 90 percent of tours booked last month had been honoured.
“It is a pity that some of those other people could not be able to go to the island because charter boats were not available,” Mabe said. He said he was not aware of the figures released by the city and did not know where they came from.
The museum’s financial year was April to March and its figures would probably be released then, Mabe said. - Cape Times