Parts of the “globally recognised conservation asset” have reopened after relentless rains. But a 41% plunge in guest entries during the devastating storm places at risk the “sustainability” of South Africa’s “entire national parks network”. The crown jewels of South Africa’s Big Five state reserves face an unthinkable test at the start of the upcoming centenary in May.
Instead of hoping to raise gins & tonics to a cloud-free African sunset on31 May, Kruger National Park is now reckoning with damage that “possibly runs into hundreds of millions”, according to incoming Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp. The days-long rains from Mozambique unleashed over Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces have wrecked roads, bridges, water and electrical systems, staff villages and tourist accommodation. A post shared by Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (@dffenvironment) Leaving the park’s northern and southern regions severed from one another, the rains — classified a national disaster — have shut down a stunning 15 camps.
“The incident has placed extraordinary pressure on park management and disaster response systems,” said Minister Aucamp. “The combined scale of infrastructure damage and operational disruption in the recent flooding has exceeded the park’s existing contingency and maintenance budgets.” Between 9 January and 19 January, flood-damaged Kruger recorded a relatively low 24,073 guest entries. That is a 41% decline compared with the same period last year.
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Yet 80% of South African National Parks’ (SANParks’) operating funds flowed from its own activities, said Aucamp. Thus, the the devastation in revenue-spinner Kruger was an existential threat to all national parks. “Prolonged recovery delays risk not only environmental degradation and loss of tourism revenue, but also adverse socioeconomic consequences for surrounding communities and the broader conservation sector,” said Aucamp.
“The destruction of [SANParks’] tourism flagship puts the sustainability of the entire network of parks at risk.” Despite the loss of infrastructure and revenue “no lives were lost. SANParks’ highly effective early warning systems and the swift, coordinated response of park management and emergency services, mean that all guests and staff were safely evacuated”, he added. Speaking to the press corps at Parliament in Cape Town on Thursday morning, Aucamp announced the establishment of the SANParks Kruger Recovery Fund, to be independently audited by three firms. “The Kruger Recovery Fund is intended to ensure the long-term sustainability of the park as a national heritage asset [and] economic driver,” he said, suggesting the storm may have been a consequence of climate change.
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