As you are aware that I recently visited the flood-stricken Kruger National Park, I am still affected by the extent of the impact and devastation to our cherished national asset. The inclement weather has not only affected the Kruger, but has been devastating in the wider Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces where we have sadly witnessed loss of life, homes and other critical infrastructure. The decision to classify a National Disaster in terms of Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act of 2002 was unequivocally the right one.
In the Kruger National Park alone, the damage to critical infrastructure is so widespread that SANParks is estimating that the damage possibly runs into hundreds of millions. Despite this devastation to infrastructure and operations, the most important highlight is that no lives were lost. SANParks’ highly effective early warning systems and the swift, coordinated response of park management and emergency services, means that all guests and staff were safely evacuated.
Now, though we remain on high alert and are still closely monitoring the situation,the road to recovery is long. To paint a picture, the Kruger National Park currently sits with: There is no doubt that the Park faces immediate to medium term revenue loss as a result – I must also indicate that SANParks is an entity that generates close to 80% of its operating budget, therefore the destruction of its tourism flagship puts the sustainability of the entire network of parks at risk. Those who are joining us today also have the benefit of seeing the devastation on the screens inside the room.
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The incident has placed extraordinary pressure on park management and disaster response systems. Many will recall that the Park experienced flooding in 2023, which the Park was still recovering from when the most recent floods hit. The combined scale of infrastructure damage and operational disruption in the recent flooding has exceeded the park’s existing contingency and maintenance budgets.
Prolonged recovery delays risk not only environmental degradation and loss of tourism revenue, but also adverse socio-economic consequences for surrounding communities and the broader conservation sector. It is also important to note that the Kruger National Park is increasingly a ‘natural disaster nodal point’ due to the confluence of hydrological networks, tourism infrastructure density, and transboundary climatic influences. In engaging with SANParks management and stakeholders, it became apparent to us that the Kruger National Park cannot rebuild without help.
A well-coordinated, rapid response – founded on our collective responsibility and appreciation for our national asset – is imperative. To expedite recovery and restoration efforts, substantial financial requirements is required.
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