- The Knysna Elephant Park is privately owned and neither belongs to, nor is it managed by SANParks or the State. Therefore, the incident in question occurred in a private facility over which SANParks has no jurisdiction or control. SANParks manages the following parks in the Garden Route region: The Knysna National Park (with one remaining elephant), and the Tsitsikamma National Park and the Wilderness National Park – both Parks do not have any elephants.
- SANParks has a mandate to manage national parks. However, the conservation management of private nature reserves resides with the provincial entities, which in this case is Cape Nature. SANParks, therefore, has no role to ensure compliance on private nature reserves.
I suggest the Honourable Member approach Cape Nature through the relevant legislature for details on this case.
Regards
MS B D CREECY, MP
MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
DATE: 17 December 2021