Great strides made in Gateway Project
THE multimillion-rand Tsitsikamma Gateway Project that will create jobs for locals has been dubbed by far the biggest tourism infrastructure investment in the Eastern Cape.
As part of Tourism Month’s launch in the Eastern Cape, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom visited the R14.4million Tsitsikamma Gateway Project and the Tsitsikamma “Big Tree” to assess the progress of the infrastructure project, which has two phases.
The project is funded by the Department of Tourism and SANParks.The first phase took off after a basic environmental assessment and an environmental authorisation gave the thumbs-up for bulk services to be installed.
The services, which include water, electricity and sewerage, already provide the Storms River Village (staff houses) via a pipeline that runs under the N2. Garden Route National Park manager Paddy Gordon said SANParks was “changing the way people experience nature”.
“The Tsitsikamma section of the park will look different in the next two years. Minister Hanekom was impressed with the progress of the Big Tree project and emphasised the significance of technological advancement in tourism development,” said Gordon.
The second phase of the project is already under way to create a precinct with a coffee shop and curio shop.
The park is home to Yellowwood trees that are more than 800 years old.
The “Big Tree” is an Outeniqua Yellowwood in Tsitsikamma that is estimated to be about 1 000 years old.
Speaking about the progress of the project earlier this month, Bulelwa Msengi, the area manager of the Tsitsikamma section of the park, said: “We can certainly see the light now nearly at the end of the tunnel, the construction is progressing well and not affecting visitors entering or exiting the park.”
The entrance gate to the Tsitsikamma section of the park is part of this project, and is expected to be completed in Spring.
The project began in 2016.