Kruger Park's Annual Review
SKUKUZA (Kruger Park Times)- A total of 1.25 million tourists visited the Kruger National Park during the 2005/6 financial year.
According to SANParks' 2005/6 Annual Report, this included a 16% increase in the number of black visitors. The Marula (southern) region showed a 1.2 percent increase in beds sold, whilst the Nkayene (Central) region had the same bed occupancy as last year (61% percent) and the Nxanatseni (Northern) region showed a minor (0.2%) decline compared to last year.
Lower Sabie had most available slots used (80%), followed by Skukuza (66%) and Satara (64%).
Tourism income for SANParks in general grew from the previous year’s result of R248 million to R307 million, growth of 19%.
SANParks said that they continue to grow the National Parks estate through new acquisitions of land, and in the period under review the organisation managed to acquire a total of 27,320 hectares at a cost of R48 million. As the budget was R58 million, the balance will be carried into the new financial year.
According to the Conservation Services Department, there has been considerable progress in including neighbouring communities in the Greater Kruger National Park.
Some reserves which are part of the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) group have applied to become contractual parks, and their applications are under review.
The removal of 30km of fence on the eastern border of the Kruger with the Limpopo National Park has facilitated the on-going implementation of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park.
During the year under review, the Scientific Services Department facilitated 160 active research projects in Kruger. Of these, 70 percent were conducted by South African scientists.
A total of 20 local and 30 international research and academic institutions were active in the Park and their activities saw 26 scientific publications and six internal reports being published. The people and conservation department, in partnership with the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) and the Hlanganani Forum, facilitated the construction of the community arts outlet at the Punda Maria entrance gate.
In partnership with the Smart Foundation, 800 boxes of books, were distributed to 150 schools within the seven local community forums on the western boundary of Kruger. The third group pf trainee contractors in the Contractor Development Programme completed their NQF level two labour intensive training modules and completed the first two practical training projects that were funded by the DBSA. A total of 58km of tar road was resurfaced.
“In September 1998, DEAT articulated the need for SANParks to prepare for lesser dependance on state funding, which would increasingly be aimed at funding the essential conservation requiremenst. This formed the basis of the Commercialisation strategy as adopted in 2000.
SANParks is developing a strategic plan to commercialisation for the period until 2011 in line with National Treasury requirements. The focus will be on a more responsible approach to tourism and commercialisation where the strategy will be used to enhance rather than replace state funding for conservation,” says Dr David Mabunda.
According the Annual Report, of the twelve concession sites in SANParks, 10 are fully operational whilst the two concessions in the Table Mountain National Park are busy with their Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), before they can develop.
“The monthly average concession occupancies have improved from 33 percent in April 2004 to well over 52 percent in March 2006.
Annual average occupancies have increased by 10 percent over this period. Notable increases are from Jock Safari Lodge and Singita Lebombo where occupancies rose from 45 percent and 35 percent for the financial year ending 2005 to 60% and 48% respectively.”
SANParks established a business unit, the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to assist ‘troubled employees’ and their families with personal and work related problems like HIV/Aids, disablity, stress, trauma and addiction.
On World Aids Day, December 1, 2005, the SANParks management team became the first group in the organisation to undergo the voluntary counselling and testing programme.
According to SANParks' 2005/6 Annual Report, this included a 16% increase in the number of black visitors. The Marula (southern) region showed a 1.2 percent increase in beds sold, whilst the Nkayene (Central) region had the same bed occupancy as last year (61% percent) and the Nxanatseni (Northern) region showed a minor (0.2%) decline compared to last year.
Lower Sabie had most available slots used (80%), followed by Skukuza (66%) and Satara (64%).
Tourism income for SANParks in general grew from the previous year’s result of R248 million to R307 million, growth of 19%.
SANParks said that they continue to grow the National Parks estate through new acquisitions of land, and in the period under review the organisation managed to acquire a total of 27,320 hectares at a cost of R48 million. As the budget was R58 million, the balance will be carried into the new financial year.
According to the Conservation Services Department, there has been considerable progress in including neighbouring communities in the Greater Kruger National Park.
Some reserves which are part of the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) group have applied to become contractual parks, and their applications are under review.
The removal of 30km of fence on the eastern border of the Kruger with the Limpopo National Park has facilitated the on-going implementation of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park.
During the year under review, the Scientific Services Department facilitated 160 active research projects in Kruger. Of these, 70 percent were conducted by South African scientists.
A total of 20 local and 30 international research and academic institutions were active in the Park and their activities saw 26 scientific publications and six internal reports being published. The people and conservation department, in partnership with the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) and the Hlanganani Forum, facilitated the construction of the community arts outlet at the Punda Maria entrance gate.
In partnership with the Smart Foundation, 800 boxes of books, were distributed to 150 schools within the seven local community forums on the western boundary of Kruger. The third group pf trainee contractors in the Contractor Development Programme completed their NQF level two labour intensive training modules and completed the first two practical training projects that were funded by the DBSA. A total of 58km of tar road was resurfaced.
The Commercialisation Strategy and Private Concessions
“In September 1998, DEAT articulated the need for SANParks to prepare for lesser dependance on state funding, which would increasingly be aimed at funding the essential conservation requiremenst. This formed the basis of the Commercialisation strategy as adopted in 2000.
SANParks is developing a strategic plan to commercialisation for the period until 2011 in line with National Treasury requirements. The focus will be on a more responsible approach to tourism and commercialisation where the strategy will be used to enhance rather than replace state funding for conservation,” says Dr David Mabunda.
According the Annual Report, of the twelve concession sites in SANParks, 10 are fully operational whilst the two concessions in the Table Mountain National Park are busy with their Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), before they can develop.
“The monthly average concession occupancies have improved from 33 percent in April 2004 to well over 52 percent in March 2006.
Annual average occupancies have increased by 10 percent over this period. Notable increases are from Jock Safari Lodge and Singita Lebombo where occupancies rose from 45 percent and 35 percent for the financial year ending 2005 to 60% and 48% respectively.”
SANParks established a business unit, the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to assist ‘troubled employees’ and their families with personal and work related problems like HIV/Aids, disablity, stress, trauma and addiction.
On World Aids Day, December 1, 2005, the SANParks management team became the first group in the organisation to undergo the voluntary counselling and testing programme.
Labels: annual report, statistics
posted by Kruger2Canyons.com at
Sunday, December 03, 2006
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