Select Committee: Land and Environmental Affairs

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• Select Committee Land and Environmental Affairs
• Oversight visit to Kruger National Park

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Contents

• Introduction
• Status update and progress report on issues
  raised
• Discussion and questions

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Introduction

• Select Committee visited Kruger National Park on
  2 5 March 2005
• Select Committee prepared report on 06 September
  2005
• Select Committee proposed a briefing by SANParks
  on issues reported upon
• This presentations objective is to provide a
  status update and progress report on issues
  raised

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Progress report

• C. Overview of the KNP
• 1.1 Core functions, mission statement and
  strategy
• Aligned to SANParks Mission and Corporate
  Business Plan.
• 1.2 Locations and sections within the Park
• No notable changes.
• 1.3 Size of the KNP and its species
• No notable changes.
• 1.4 Net Operating Income and Regional
  Management 1Structures
• Re-organised from four (4) to three regions
  merged the Far North and Northern Regions.

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Progress report

• C. Overview of the KNP
• 1.5 Employment Equity
• No notable changes.
• Employment Equity targets being adhered to
  94.7 Black.
• 1.6 Land claims (p.3)
• An additional claim has been accepted for
  processing i.e. Skukuza Camp.
• SANParks will be guided by the outcomes of the
  Land Claims due processes, and will support
  mechanism to retain conservation ethics and
  programmes in successfully claimed land portions.
• 1.6 Decline in International Tourists (p.4)
• The international tourist numbers to the KNP have
  shown growth
• First quarter of 2005/6 59,800
• First quarter of 2006/7 71,200
• Concessionaire-occupancies grew from 34.23
  (2004/5) to 42.98 (2005/6).

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Progress report

• C. Overview of the KNP
• 1.7 Staff leaving the KNP (p.4)
• The turnover rate at KNP is 10.6 in line with
  industry norms.
• A succession strategy for the whole organisation
  is being developed to address loss of expertise
  due to retirement.
• 1.8 Skills development
• No notable changes.
• Skills Plan in place.
• 1.9 Medium term strategy
• Aligned to the SANParks Corporate Business Plan.

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Progress report

• C. Overview of the KNP
• 1.10 Veterinary Wildlife Services
• No notable changes.
• 1.11 Role of Veterinary Department
• No notable changes
• 1.12 Outsourcing of camps (p.8)
• Only Jock of the Bushveld and Jakkalbessie
  bush camps were outsourced not most camps as
  reported.
• Seven new facilities were developed through
  Public Private Partnership arrangements to cater
  for the higher end of the market.

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Progress report

• C. Overview of the KNP
• 1.13 Fences along KNP
• Discussions are underway to transfer funding from
  Department of Agriculture to SANParks for the
  management of fences.
• This will result in SANParks being responsible to
  maintain all the border fences in KNP.
• 1.14 Current projects
• To date 45.3km of fence has been removed between
  KNP and Limpopo National Park (at the time of
  report 20km of fence was removed).
• Only specific areas of the boundary fence has
  been/is being removed to account for security
  issues, vehicle theft and damage causing animals
  on communal farmland

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Progress report

• C. Overview of the KNP
• 1.15 Accessibility to the park
• Educational Programmes are in place to encourage
  exposure of the KNP to the previously
  disadvantaged communities both adults and young
  learners.
• 1.16 Challenges facing the KNP
• The state of tourism accommodation facilities was
  identified as the main challenge
• R195m has been allocated to KNP for the next
  three years to upgrade infrastructure R136m
  will be used to address tourism facilities.

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Progress report

• D. Onsite Visits
• Guest accommodation and camp sites used by
  campers is in need of major upgrade
• Treasury approved R396m for upgrading
  infrastructure in SANParks for the next three
  years.
• R136m will be used for tourism infrastructure
  upgrade in KNP.
• R6m of the allocation will be used to upgrade
  camping sites.
• Not enough accommodation suitable for
  individuals who are wheelchair based/physically
  disabled
• Benchmarks is that 10 of facilities must be
  universally accessible.
• KNP is at 3.
• By the end of the three year Infrastructure
  Development Programme this benchmark should be
  achieved.

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Progress report

• D. Onsite Visits
• 3. No proper drainage system in place in the
  campsite
• The upgrade of campsites at Satara, Lower Sabie,
  Skukuza, and Berg en Dal will focus on
  improvement of drainage.
• 4. Ablution facilities are inadequate and need
  upgrading 7 ablution facilities servicing 84
  campsites had no proper lighting and not
  accessible to those in wheelchairs
• Upgrading of campsites will include
• Additional lights along the paved roads.
• Upgraded and new ablution facilities will be
  universally accessible.
• A new ablution block at Satara complies with
  universally accessible criteria

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Progress report

• D. Onsite Visits
• 5. People use KNP as a shortcut to cross to
  neighbouring countries. It was suggested that an
  extra fee be charged to haul heavy vehicles
  through KNP and such fee to contribute to road
  maintenance
• Heavy vehicles are restricted
• They may only use tarred roads in KNP.
• They are required to use the nearest entrance
  gate to the delivery destination.
• We are investigating the introduction of extra
  entry fee for those vehicles that are expected to
  start using the Giriyondo and Pafuri border
  posts.
• 6. No adequate housing complex for ground staff.
  Proper infrastructure is needed to accommodate
  staff
• R42.8m allocated to upgrade staff accommodation
  in the next three years.
• Conversion of dormitories and single units into
  en-suite single units.
• Upgrading of electrical power supply, water and
  sanitation services

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Progress report

• D. Onsite Visits
• 7. One clinic situated near the staff quarters
  is not enough to service all the staff within the
  park
• There is a clinic at Skukuza staff quarters.
• A mobile clinic visiting all camps on a weekly
  basis has been introduced.
• Negotiations with Limpopo province to establish
  second clinic in Letaba rest camp, and to
  introduce a second mobile clinic for the far
  north areas.
• 8. Prices charged at shops inside KNP were
  exorbitant, putting local tourists at a
  disadvantage
• Comparisons of prices should not be made between
  large retail stores with those of the shops in
  KNP
• Shops are outsourced when run by SANParks they
  operated at a loss.
• Differences in economies of scale stock
  management in KNP shops is not earmarked for
  volume/low prices but for essentials.
• Cost base of shops in KNP is higher due to
  amongst others the wider distribution logistics.

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Progress report

• D. Onsite Visits
• 9. The tendered contract period for businesses
  like restaurants and gift shops are too long and
  this disadvantages local community to take such
  opportunities
• Tendered restaurant contract period is 9 and a
  half years this period accounted for
• The expected investment amounts for
  renovations/upgrade of aging infrastructure, and
• The period required to experience returns on
  investment.
• The tender awarding criteria include Black
  Economi Empowerment as a key component this
  covers
• Equity share ownership
• Training and Employment Equity
• Procurement from local supplier communities

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Progress report

• D. Onsite Visits
• 10. Many services were outsourced and local
  communities are not given such opportunities to
  offer those services
• The tendering process gives preference to local
  suppliers within the Mpumalanga and Limpopo
  provinces.
• The vehicle fleet in the KNP was outsourced to
  Vuswa Fleet Services (Black Empowered).
• The construction and building renovations
• 12 local construction companies appointed on two
  year contract for building renovations and small
  to medium construction projects.
• 12 local trainee contractors appointed for three
  to four years in partnership with CETA for them
  to be trained as construction businesses.
• Supply of gardening services is outsourced to 4
  service providers from the local communities.
• The supply of linen and other consumables are
  outsourced to service providers from local
  communities.