South African National Parks (SANParks) in partnership with TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa and First National Bank (FNB) has officially opened the 16th annual South African National Parks Week!
If you are a South African citizen, you will have the opportunity to visit any National Park for free from November 22 – 26 2021. The Bontebok, Tankwa Karoo, and West Coast National Parks in the Cape Region will be extending SA National Parks Week until Sunday, November 28, while the Agulhas and Table Mountain National Parks will host SA National Parks Week until Friday, November 26.
SANParks Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dumisani Dlamini says that under the established theme ‘Know Your National Parks’, the weeklong campaign encourages citizens through the #LiveYourWild campaign to visit a national park for free and be part of a worldwide campaign.
“SANParks is striving to provide all South Africans with equal opportunities and in line with our vision of ‘A world-class system of sustainable national parks reconnecting and inspiring society’, we want to inspire people to take pride in and to enjoy their national parks while spending time in nature,” Dlamini expressed.
“This is also an effort to reach out and allow all citizens a chance to freely access something they might not have been exposed to and to start to understand the importance of conservation,” he adds.
With the country still being on Alert Level 1 of the lockdown, Dlamini reminded the public that a quota system will apply in most of the national parks throughout the focus week.
“We would like to remind the public that a quota system will apply in most of our national parks throughout the focus week. We have to remain responsible and alert and therefore would like to request the public to continue to observe the COVID 19 protocols, which are sanitising, wearing of our face masks and observing social distancing,” Dlamini reiterated.
All South Africans who enter over the age of 18 years must produce a SA ID or SA driver’s license to enter the Parks. Electronic copies of IDs will be accepted. Please note that free access to the parks does not include accommodation or any commercial activities in the park.
SANParks started this campaign in 2006 to encourage all South Africans, especially those from the communities around the parks, to share in what SANParks believes to be the pride and joy of all South Africans and the world.
Visit www.sanparks.org/about/events/parks_week/ for more information and follow #SANationalParksWeek and #LiveYourWild on social media to join in the fun and discover all there is to do and see in these national parks.
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These National Parks will be open for free in November thanks to SANParks
Picture: Unsplash / Tom Podmore