Public to gain free access in the Sanparks during the National Parks Weeks
The 14th annual SA National Parks Week will take place from September 8 to September 15 at most of the 21 national parks for day visitors.
The South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced National Parks Week, whereby, South Africans can enter all national parks free of charge.
According to SANParks, this year free access include weekends, heeding the request from South Africans who do not have time to visit national parks during week days, three parks are however excluded from the free week. These are Namaqua National Park and Boulders Penguin Colony although locals already get a reduced rate. The Table Mountain Cableway in Table Mountain National Park is also excluded from the free week.
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Fundisile Mketeni, Sanparks executive officer said: “Every year we aim to increase the number of citizens who are granted free access to national parks during this time. Since we started the programme in 2006, about 438 361 South Africans have been afforded the opportunity to enter the national parks, and we want to see these numbers grow.
“It’s important for South Africans to visit and know the importance of national parks. They act as spaces to practise sustainable conservation, as spaces that preserve and celebrate our culture and heritage, and we now see national parks playing the critical role of empowering communities living adjacent to parks through job creation and we continue to explore ways of creating business opportunities particularly for small business owners,” added Mketeni.
Members of the public are urged to note that free access to parks does not include free access to accommodation facilities, any tourist activities and international tourists.
