Visitors flock the Kruger Park
"If you visit America and you happen to mention that you are from South Africa, people will ask you about three things: Mandela, Table Mountain and the KNP."
SKUKUZA – Celebrating spring, and in a bid to increase environmental awareness, South African National Parks (SANParks) afforded locals a chance to visit any national park for free during its annual SANParks Week.
The aim is to make our parks accessible to the people from nearby rural communities, who view visiting the parks as a luxury they can not afford. Management had lined up a number of activities in order to interact with community forums and the youth to curb rhino poaching.
Speaking at Skukuza, manager for people and conservation, Ms Hellen Methi told community members that the Kruger National Park (KNP) was their heritage and it was their responsibility to look after it.
“If you visit America and you happen to mention that you are from South Africa, people will ask you about three things: Mandela, Table Mountain and the KNP. This is an international icon that you must be proud of. You need to take care of it so that future generations can continue to take pride in it,” she said.
The youth and members of forums from Mpumalanga and the far North were also afforded an opportunity to share their views on preserving the park and fighting poaching.
In another activity, individuals with visual disabilities were treated to a visit at the Berg-en-Dal camp in the park. The aim was to help them experience the wildlife and wonders of the bush in a unique way.
The excited members of nearby communities who were ferried by buses were able to touch, smell and feel the bush.
KNP’s marketing and communications manager, Ms Laura Mukwevho said management was satisfied with the number of visitors during the week. She indicated that more than 13 000 people, excluding school groups and Wild Card members, visited the park from Monday to Friday last week.
“KNP wants people to enjoy their own heritage and also teach them to preserve the park so that it can remain the international icon that it is,” added Mukwevho.
Mr Frank Mnisi of Mahlamba-Ndlopfu Forum expressed his gratitude to SANParks for the opportunity afforded to all South African citizens, saying that there were people who lived right next to the gates but could not afford to visit.
“It’s not a joke, some people are not in a position to pay the entrance fee because of economic challenges,” he said.
