#LiveYourWild with SA National Parks Week

9 Sep 2019

South African National Parks (SANParks), as a conservation agency, continues to play a leading role in the country by ensuring that every citizen gets an equal opportunity to access national parks for free. Under the theme Know Your National Parks, South African citizens are invited to "live their wild" during SA National Parks Week until 15 September 2019, and experience the beauty and serenity of SANParks national parks.

Image via SANParks

SANParks CEO, Fundisile Mketeni says: "This week is an opportunity to showcase all the national parks as key and affordable local holiday destinations which offer unique experiences that families and individuals from all backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles and communities can enjoy".

For over a decade FNB has supported this initiative, primarily because it raises awareness about the importance of conservation and has brought the parks closer to our communities," Dr Simphiwe Madikizela, provincial head for Gauteng: FNB Public Sector Banking.

Raising environmental awareness

Sunil Gandhi, general manager strategy Total South Africa says: "Total South Africa’s association with SANParks is long-standing, and we have sponsored the Free Access Week since its inception. Total South Africa is committed to raising awareness about the importance of environmental education and the need to sustain the beauty of our national parks added Gandhi."

Mketeni further added that SANParks is committed to raising awareness about the importance of environmental education and the need to sustain the splendour of our national parks. "As an organisation, we have a Social Legacy Programme which is part of SANParks initiatives to support the communities that stay adjacent to the park by providing them with infrastructure and related resources in areas of education, health and other identified needs."

"SANParks continues to pledge its support for education through the provision of much-needed facilities such as the refurbishment of the Swellendam Secondary School Science Laboratory that will be opened on Monday 9 September as part of SANPW. This science laboratory will officially be opened by the SANParks CEO together with seven other science laboratories that have been donated to no fee-paying schools across the Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Western Cape provinces," adds Mketeni.

Mketeni invites all South Africans to explore a national park near them and find out why they need to conserve these natural environments for future generations.

Visit our website at SANParks for more information.