Visit a national park, save our heritage

There are many jewels in the crown of natural riches of South African National Parks (SANParks) and we welcome the idea of opening up these special places to more people through the annual Parks Week.

Today, we focus on Augrabies Falls, one of the mightiest in southern Africa and all the more remarkable given that it is created by the Orange River plunging into a chasm which is, effectively, in the middle of an arid wilderness.

Attractions like Augrabies bring in more than R1.4 billion a year, according to Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul. It is the same with the other national parks around the country – they attract both foreign
and local tourists and create jobs.

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Best of all, tourism is an industry that can have a low environmental impact – even improving an environment in many cases – and which is sustainable, unlike our other natural resources, such as minerals which, once extracted from the earth, are gone for good.

That is why we must cherish these national parks and support them, especially as we share them with the generations who will one day lead this country.

Our natural heritage must not be destroyed on the convenient altar of political gain.

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