SANParks announces dates of 2012 National Parks Week

The week long campaign will be giving free access to the national parks from 10 to 14 September 2012. This will be applicable to all the national parks managed by SANParks, with the exception of Boulders in the Table Mountain National Park and the Namaqua National Park. Table Mountain National Park (excluding Boulders) is extending SA National Parks week until Saturday, 15 September whilst Tankwa National Park and Bontebok National Park are extending the week to Sunday, 16 September 2012.

Protection is everyone's responsibility

The feature element of this campaign is the free access granted to all South African day visitors carrying their official identity documents. Persons under the age of 16 will be allowed free access without the requirement of proof of identity. Free access to the parks will not include any commercial activities in the park such as guided safaris in vehicles or guided walks.

"Environmental education and protection is the responsibility of everyone, not just a privileged few. If we are to create a sense of ownership of the natural heritage of South Africa in all South Africans, then all South Africans must be able to have access to such," said SANParks acting head of communications, Paul Daphne. "We especially want our young people to take advantage of this opportunity because this heritage will be under their protection in the near future."