SANParks Free Week was established to give South Africans the opportunity to explore the parks they may not have access to due to financial constraints.
South Africa (22 November 2021) – South African National Parks opened the 16th annual South African National Parks Week in Addo Elephant National Park, in the Eastern Cape. The week, opened by the SANParks Chairperson of the Board Pamela Yako began this morning, 22 November 2021, and ends on 28 November 2021.
“SANParks is striving to provide all South Africans with equal opportunities and in line with our vision of a ‘A world class system of sustainable national parks reconnecting and inspiring society’, we want to inspire people to take pride in and to enjoy their national parks while spending time in nature.” – Dumisani Dlamini, SANParks Acting Chief Executive Officer
Dlamini said that free access will be granted to South African day visitors.
“This is also an effort to reach out and allow all citizens a chance to freely access something they might not have been exposed to and to start to understand the importance of conservation.”
The free access to the parks does not include accommodation or any commercial activities in the park. The below parks will only have free access until Friday 26 November.
- Kruger,
- Addo Elephant,
- Augrabies,
- Agulhas,
- Table Mountain,
- and the Tsitsikamma section of Garden Route National Park.
“This week is also 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.”
Dlamini said that due to the country still being on Alert Level 1 of the lockdown in November… “we would like remind the public that a quota system will apply in most of our national parks throughout the focus week. We have to remain responsible and alert and therefore would like to request the public to continue to observe the COVID 19 protocols, which are sanitising, wearing of our face masks and observing social distancing.”
SANParks started this campaign in 2006 to encourage all South Africans, especially those from the communities around the parks, to share in what SANParks believes to be the pride and joy of all South Africans and the world.
“The survival of the South African national parks system and our natural and cultural heritage lies in the people of South Africa and we are focused on involving young people and communities, to cultivate knowledge of the importance of conservation and an appreciation for the country’s natural heritage,” concluded Dlamini.
Visit the website www.sanparks.org/about/events/parks_week for more information and follow #SANationalParksWeek and #LiveYourWild on social media, to join in the fun and discover all there is to do and see in our national parks.
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