SANParks donates food parcels
SOUTH African National Parks (SANParks) has distributed more than 550 food parcels to vulnerable communities bordering Agulhas, Bontebok, Table Mountain, Tankwa Karoo, and West Coast National Park in the Western Cape.
“Because of the national Covid-19 lockdown, tourism, the main source of income for these communities, has dried up. This has affected the well-being of the families reliant on our national parks for an income. That is why we decided to try to make their lives a little easier in these trying times,” said SANParks chief executive Fundisile Mketeni.
Most national parks are in rural areas affected by poverty, unemployment and socio-economic problems. These communities rely on the parks for their survival through jobs or business opportunities.
In the coming weeks, the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries in conjunction with SANParks will lead similar initiatives of the distribution of food parcels and water tanks to vulnerable communities bordering national parks countrywide.
A total of R13 million will be used to purchase food parcels, hygiene products, education materials and water tanks. An estimated 7 500 families will be supported nationally.
The distribution of food parcels could not have been done without the help of stakeholders at local level around the parks, SANParks said.
Funding is from SANParks, SANParks Honorary Rangers and the UN Development Programme.