SANParks Week returns with free access to parks from 16 November

SANParks chief executive officer Fundisile Mketeni said: “SANParks postponed the week, which is traditionally held in September, to November due to the Covid-19. As the country is still on alert Level 1 of the lockdown in November, we would like to remind the public that a gate quota system will apply in all our national parks throughout the focus week.”

The week is meant to cultivate a sense of pride in South Africa’s natural, cultural and historical heritage, protected by the national parks system. It’s important for South Africans to visit and know the importance of national parks.

This year, SANParks will open the week in West Coast National Park. The feature element of this campaign is the free access granted to all South African day visitors carrying their official identity documents. Young persons under the age of 16 will be allowed free access without proof of identity. The free access to the parks will not include accommodation and any commercial activities in the park such as guided safaris in vehicles or guided walks, etc

Mketeni said: “Every year, SANParks aims to increase the number of citizens that are granted free access to national parks during this time. Since we started the programme in 2006, some 551,393 South Africans have been afforded the opportunity to enter national parks, and we want to see these numbers grow.”

SANParks encourages all South Africans, especially the youth of our country to diarise these dates and plan a visit to a national park nearby. “The survival of the South African national parks system and our natural and cultural heritage lies in the people of South Africa,” concludes Mketeni.

Visit www.sanparks.org/about/events/parks_week for more information.