Free access to National Parks this week

The week-long campaign giving free access to the national parks will be applicable to all the national parks managed by SANParks, with the exception of Boulders in Table Mountain National Park and Namaqua National Park.

According to SANParks acting head of communications, Reynold Thakhuli, the objective of the week is to cultivate a culture of pride in all South Africans in their relationship with the country's natural, cultural and historical heritage, under the established theme Know Your National Parks.

The idea of a national parks focus week was conceived in 2006, after a realisation that a vast majority of South Africans were not accessing the national parks. "SANParks then embarked upon this campaign to encourage all South Africans, especially those from the communities around the parks, to share in what SANParks envisions to be "the pride and joy of all South Africans and the world".

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 the requirement of proof of identity. It should be noted that 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.

Creating a sense of ownership

"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 Thakhuli.

"We especially want our young people to take advantage of this opportunity because this heritage will be under their protection in the near future," added Thakhuli.

The annual SA National Parks Week has been made possible with support from First National Bank since inception eight years ago. "Through this partnership FNB is able to raise awareness on the importance of environmental education and the management of such issues," says Danny Zandamela, CEO FNB Public Sector Banking.

SANParks encourages all South Africans and especially educators and school groups 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 Thakhuli.