South Africa’s oldest tourist attraction could well be closing its doors due to a lack of adequate management, corruption and heavy financial losses.
As reported by Africa Geographic, R16 million was removed last year from the cave’s investment fund, resulting in the disbanding of its scientific committee, unpaid supplier accounts and other problems stemming from this – the attraction is at the brink of collapse because of this.
The Oudtshoorn municipality is currently locked in a major tussle between the DA and the ANC, bringing unrest to the Karoo town as well as inadequate management of its major attraction. That R16 million was supposedly spent on renovations and upkeep of the Cango Caves, but no changes have materialized since – leaking roofs and broken toilets are among many of the fixes needed. More urgently is the lack of spending on new ways to reduce human impact on the caves, a necessity needed for the longevity of them.
It saddens me to read about the situation. When politics starts affecting a major tourist attraction, there is a serious problem.
Read more here.
Photography Bev Klein
