Elephants gathering at a watering hole in the Kruger National Park. Photo: Pixabay
Elephants gathering at a watering hole in the Kruger National Park. Photo: Pixabay
The Democratic Alliance (DA) have raised concerns about the management of South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park, saying that they have received reports that the park is mismanaging finances on refurbishments to accommodation and a frivolous defence against an allegedly “racist” review of their services.
The reports emerging from the park – which is managed by SANParks and is financed by taxpayer’s money – have made the DA curious as to whether there is monkey business on the go at the iconic South African institution.
The DA’s shadow minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), James Lorimer, said that the reports he has received are disturbing.
“There are a growing number of reports that indicate apparent management failure in the Kruger National Park. I will write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries to request the SANParks CEO and Chairperson be invited to explain, in detail, what is going on,” he said.
Lorimer said that he is concerned that guests are not being afforded the park’s full offering in terms of overnight accommodation, saying that he is of the understanding that some of the rooms are being provided to staff despite the park being mandated to increase visitor numbers.
He cited the following concerns as being centrally queried in his letter to DAFF:
Lorimer also charged that he has been informed of SANParks’ and the Kruger National Park’s intention to lay criminal charges against a guest for an allegedly “racist” Facebook posts that claimed bookings were not being honoured or were not available because accommodation was being occupied by staff.
“The Park spending public money to sue customers seems to lack any sense of proportion,” said Lorimer.
“If there has been racist offence, as has been alleged, then there are other ways of dealing with this. This is equivalent to a restaurant or hotel suing a customer for a bad review on social media.”
He said that it is in the best interest of the public to learn why the Kruger National Park wants to pursue this matter so aggressively.
“What this action does do is make the Park management look like its being unnecessarily defensive and it is in the public interest to know why.”
In his letter, Lorimer said that he asked the following:
“The Kruger Park is a great national asset. It needs to maintain good relations with the public. Above all, it needs to be open about what is going on,” he said, adding that official communication from the management of the Kruger National Park is “fuzzy at best”.
“Threatening guests shows a failure to understand the hospitality industry. A large part of park’s funding comes from tourism. Tourists need to be encouraged, not fought with.”