SANParks Moves To Accelerate Kruger Park Repairs With Dedicated Recovery Fund

Image credit: SANParks/Twitter

According to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, substantial financing is required to rebuild the damaged infrastructure that includes tourism facilities, bridges, roads, as well as water and electrical systems and services.

Devastating floods

“The Kruger Recovery Fund is intended to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Kruger National Park as a national heritage asset, economic driver, and symbol of South Africa’s commitment to conservation amid climate risks.

“It will be administered with strong fiduciary oversight and credibility to attract national and international donors.

"The Kruger Recovery Fund will be administered through three audit firms on SANParks’ panel, providing independent governance, assurance, transparent reporting, and donor confidence in the utilisation of funds for resilience-enhancing infrastructure reconstruction programmes at the Kruger,” the minister said.

The minister was addressing a media briefing on the latest developments regarding the flooding that took place at the park, as a result of last week’s persistent heavy rainfall across Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

The rains caused river levels to rise significantly, with overflows reported in the Crocodile, Sabie, Letaba, Sand, Luvuvhu and Limpopo rivers.

The incident has placed extraordinary pressure on park management and disaster response systems due to the floods that were experienced in the park in 2023, which the park was still recovering from when the most recent floods hit.

“The combined scale of infrastructure damage and operational disruption in the recent flooding has exceeded the park’s existing contingency and maintenance budgets.

“Prolonged recovery delays risk not only environmental degradation and loss of tourism revenue, but also adverse socio-economic consequences for surrounding communities and the broader conservation sector,” Aucamp said.

A long road to recovery

He stressed that the road to recovery will be very long as there is a lot of restoration work needed.

“The Kruger National Park is not just a conservation landscape – it is an economic lifeline for the region, a symbol of our national heritage, and a globally recognised conservation asset.

"SANParks remains committed to a resilient and adaptive management approach as we navigate these climate-related challenges,” Aucamp said.

He indicated that the park faces immediate to medium term revenue loss as a result of the floods.

“I must also indicate that SANParks is an entity that generates close to 80% of its operating budget, the destruction of its tourism flagship puts the sustainability of the entire network of parks at risk.

“Upon announcing the intention to establish the Kruger Recovery Fund, we have received an overwhelming influx of support of various kinds from different spheres of society.

“I am pleased to announce that everyone from pensioners and young people to local and international entities and figures has expressed support for the fund,” he said.

Resource mobilisation

One of those organisations at the forefront of that support is the Honorary Rangers, a long-term strategic and trusted partner of SANParks, who will assist with funding conducted through their normal fundraising channels under the funding campaign: the Kruger Flood 2026 Fund.

The minister has welcomed this initiative as it works towards the common goal of resource mobilisation to address the inevitable financial pressure that has arisen at the park.

“The Honorary Rangers have a long-standing track record of trusted community support, and in addition to their flood-relief-fundraising efforts, they are also supporting the Kruger Recovery Fund as one of the patrons,” the minister said.

Aucamp emphasised that the SANParks’ Kruger Recovery Fund and Honorary Rangers’ Kruger Flood 2026 Fund are the only two legitimate funds authorised to receive donations for the recovery efforts.

“During crises of this nature, the risk of fraudulent fundraising schemes increases significantly.

"I urge the public, partners, and donors – local and international – to verify information and donate only through these sanctioned channels.

“Specific details on how and where contributions can be made will be provided by both SANParks and SANParks Honorary Rangers,” he said.