MIDVAAL. – The Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve south of Johannesburg – a popular hiking, cycling and game driving spot for Gautengers – is still closed and will remain closed until an intervention to provide water for day visitors has been finalised.
According to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs work might only be completed at the end of September.
The reserve was closed when the hard lockdown was imposed back in March.
While it was expected that the reserve would reopen on 1 June following an announcement of the easing of lockdown regulations by
the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, this was not to be.
In July the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development told Ster North that water supply interruptions needed to be sorted out before the reserve could reopen and that it was expected to be completed by the end of August.
Unfortunately work was not completed by this date.
Nozipho Hlabangana, a spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this week: “Subject to the
finalization of the current short-term intervention and longterm solution for water supply challenges, Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve should be in
the position to receive the day visitors by the end of September 2020.
