Crowds flock to ‘free’ national parks

The number of people visiting the five South African National Parks (SANParks) in the Frontier region – Addo Elephant, Camdeboo, Garden Route, Karoo and Mountain Zebra parks – at no cost last week increased by 56% compared with the same period in 2018.

The 14th annual SA National Parks Week was celebrated from September 8-15, having been extended by three days over two weekends.

This campaign, under the established theme “Know Your National Parks”, allows locals with valid identity documents an opportunity to spend a day at a national park of their choice free of charge.

SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni said the objective of the week was to give South Africans a chance to enjoy and experience the beauty of the national parks.

He said 113,032 visitors had enjoyed free access to parks around the country.

“We had an increase of just over 52% this year from last year’s 74,086 visitors.

“SA National Parks Week aims to create a culture of pride in all South Africans in their relationship with the country’s natural, cultural and historical heritage,” Mketeni said.

“When people start to take pride in the national parks, then we believe that they will start to understand the importance of conservation.”

Regionally, 30,657 people made use of the opportunity compared with 19,610 in 2018.

Just about half of these visited the Addo Elephant National Park outside Port Elizabeth – 15,091 visitors, an increase of just over 52% on 2018’s 9,626.

The Garden Route National Park saw the biggest increase in visitors – a 96% growth from 5,926 to 11,589.

Since its inception in 2006, National Parks Week has welcomed 551,393 day visitors in all participating parks.

“These numbers are encouraging and tell us more people are taking advantage of this free week,” Mketeni said.

The initiative was supported by FNB and Total SA.

“Without our sponsors, this week would not have materialised and South Africans would not be able to visit our parks free of charge.”

Mketeni thanked all South Africans who took part in the week.

“The survival of the national parks system, and our natural and cultural heritage, lies with the people of South Africa.”