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Ref: 02/1/5/2
MINISTER
QUESTION NO. 249 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NCOP
A draft reply to Mr D Joseph (DA-WC) to the above-mentioned question is
enclosed for your consideration.
Mr A. Wills
DIRECTOR-GENERAL (Acting)
DATE:
DRAFT REPLY APPROVED/AMENDED
MRS B E E MOLEWA, MP
MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
DATE:
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
(For written reply)
QUESTION NO. 249 [CW346E]
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 17 of 2013
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 7 June 2013
Mr D Joseph (DA-WC) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
Whether her department has taken any steps to ensure that visits to the (a)
Table Mountain, (b) National Park Sites and (c) Kruger
National Park are affordable to South Africans from poorer communities; if
not, why not; if so, what steps have been implemented in this regard?
NCOP PQ249 [CW346E]
THE MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS REPLIES:
(a) Yes. The Table Mountain National Park has the Cape Town Wild Card which
is aimed at Cape Town residents and offers limited but affordable access.
Other open access areas are free-of-charge to Cape Town residents.
(b) Yes. The SANParks Responsible Tourism Strategy, as espoused in its
principles and values, strives to offer a broad range of products and
services that in turn provides potential visitors with a range of price
options. The strategy further states that SANParks strives to offer
equitable access by implementing the principles of subsidisation, if
needed.
In its pricing of products, SANParks acknowledges South Africaâs past and
the current situation of a massive divide between rich and poor and
highlights the following measures that directly or indirectly have an
impact on access to national parks by poorer communities:
⢠By offering a wide range of overnight products at different price
points, SANParks is also attempting to accommodate low income groups.
Prices range from R22-50 per person per night (pppn) sharing to R13 225-
00 (pppn).
⢠SANParks has also implemented the SANParks Week, which is an annual
event whereby specifically adjoining communities, which do not normally
visit national parks, are targeted and free access is offered.
⢠The SANParks Conservation Fee is structured in a manner that it
benefits South African (SA) residents. The ratio is normally 4:1
whereby standard conservation is four times higher than that for SA
residents. Due to, among others, logistical reasons, this is not
applicable in the Table Mountain National Park, although it is SANParks
intention to implement it there as well.
(c) The SANParks Wild Card is a pre-paid mechanism offering benefits to
those that visit national parks and partner protected areas and resorts
regularly and for extended periods. This card is also accepted in the
Kruger National Park.
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