West Coast, Table Mountain National Parks to get new gate access technology

As of November 2018, South African National Parks (SANParks) will be introducing new gate access technology at Table Mountain and West Coast National Parks; which will also enable streamline ticket purchases and quick access for visitors. The roll-out of the new gate system coincides with the introduction of differential conservation fees at Table Mountain National Park which offers South African residents and Southern African Development Community (SADC) national reduced rates.

Andrew Massyn via Wikimedia Commons

According to Hapiloe Sello, SANParks managing executive: tourism development and marketing, visitors to these parks will now be able to buy digital tickets online prior to their arrival at the gate; these digital tickets will then be scanned at the gate for quick access. The system also caters to tour operators who in the past had to purchase group tickets from SANParks offices. They too will have access to an online portal through which they can purchase digital tickets according to their respective group sizes.

Sello said with the introduction of the differential conservation fees, prospective visitors would be required to indicate their citizenship or residence status when buying tickets online and upon entry, South African residents will be required to produce their identity document or card, driver’s license or residence permit.

According to Sello, SANParks implemented differential conservation fees in 2004 in all its parks with the exception of Table Mountain National Park. "The only reason why differential Conservation Fees were not implemented was due to the complexity of processing visitors at the two high volume access points, namely Cape Point and Boulders."

Conservation fees

As of November 1, 2018 the standard conservation fees for Cape Point for adults will be R303 (€19 or $21) for international guests, R152 for SADC nationals and R76 for both SA nationals and foreign nationals with official SA residence status, while for Boulders this will amount to R152 (€9-30 or $10-50), R76 and R39 respectively. The Cape Town Cable Car will not be affected by these changes.

"This initiative further aims to increase accessibility to South Africans, more especially the sectors of society that do not traditionally visit national parks," concluded Sello.