South African National Parks

South African National Parks

Agency overview
Formed	1926
Jurisdiction	Government of South Africa
Headquarters	643 Leyds Street, Muckleneuk, Pretoria 25°45′59″S 28°12′8″E
Employees	4,027 (permanent) 1,405 (temporary)[1]
Annual budget	R2.046 billion[2]
Minister responsible	Barbara Creecy, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries
Agency executives	Joanne Yawitch, Chairperson of the Board Dr. Luthando Dziba, CEO
Parent agency	Department of Environmental Affairs
Key documents	National Parks Act, 1976 National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003
Website	www.sanparks.org

South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of 3,751,113 hectares (37,511.13 km²),^[3] over 3% of the total area of South Africa.^[4][a]

Many parks offer a variety of accommodations. The best known park is Kruger National Park, which is also the oldest (proclaimed in 1898), and the largest, at nearly 2,000,000 hectares (20,000 km²). Kruger National Park and Table Mountain National Park are two of South Africa's most visited tourist attractions.^[6]

Though not designated as National Parks, other protected areas exist, such as game and nature reserves.

List of parks administered by SANParks

The following are designated as National Parks of South Africa:^[7]

Name	Photo	Location	Date established	Area
Addo Elephant National Park		Eastern Cape 33.26°S 25.44°E / -33.26; 25.44	1931	1,642 km^2 (634 sq mi)
Agulhas National Park		Western Cape 34.50°S 20.00°E / -34.50; 20.00	14 September 1998	56.9 km^2 (22.0 sq mi)
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park      Richtersveld National Park (South Africa)      Ai-Ais Hot Springs (Namibia)		Northern Cape 28.053889°S 17.034722°E / -28.053889; 17.034722	2003 1991 1968	5,920 km^2 (2,290 sq mi)[8] 1,624 km^2 (627 sq mi)[7] 4,611 km^2 (1,780 sq mi)[9]
Augrabies Falls National Park		Northern Cape 28.591111°S 20.338333°E / -28.591111; 20.338333	1966	417 km^2 (161 sq mi)
Bontebok National Park		Western Cape 34.066667°S 20.45°E / -34.066667; 20.45	1931	27.9 km^2 (10.8 sq mi)
Camdeboo National Park		Eastern Cape 32.25°S 24.5°E / -32.25; 24.5	30 October 2005 1979 (Karoo Nature Reserve)	194 km^2 (75 sq mi)
Garden Route National Park		Western Cape 34°S 23.25°E / -34; 23.25	6 March 2009 1985 (Knysna National Lake Area) 1964 (Tsitsikamma National Park) 1985 (Wilderness National Park)	1,210 km^2 (470 sq mi) (150 km^2 (58 sq mi)) (639 km^2 (247 sq mi)) (106 km^2 (41 sq mi))
Golden Gate Highlands National Park		Free State 28.506111°S 28.616667°E / -28.506111; 28.616667	1963	116 km^2 (45 sq mi)
Karoo National Park		Western Cape 32.35°S 22.583333°E / -32.35; 22.583333	1979	831 km^2 (321 sq mi)
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park      Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (South Africa)      Gemsbok National Park (Botswana)		Northern Cape 26.47716141014315°S 20.61268169075392°E / -26.47716141014315; 20.61268169075392	12 May 2000 31 July 1931 (unknown)	33,551 km^2 (12,954 sq mi)[10] 9,591 km^2 (3,703 sq mi)[7] 28,000 km^2 (11,000 sq mi)(est.)
Kruger National Park		Limpopo and Mpumalanga 24.011389°S 31.485278°E / -24.011389; 31.485278	31 May 1926[11][12]	19,623 km^2 (7,576 sq mi)
Mapungubwe National Park		Limpopo 22.2°S 29.4°E / -22.2; 29.4	1995	53.6 km^2 (20.7 sq mi)
Marakele National Park		Limpopo 24.4°S 27.6°E / -24.4; 27.6	11 February 1994 (1994-02-11)[13]	507 km^2 (196 sq mi)
Meerkat National Park (Visitors are not allowed)		Northern Cape 30.691444°S 21.39°E / -30.691444; 21.39	27 March 2020 (2020-03-27)	1,352.45 km^2 (522.18 sq mi)
Mokala National Park		Northern Cape 29.166667°S 24.35°E / -29.166667; 24.35	19 June 2007	196 km^2 (76 sq mi)
Mountain Zebra National Park		Eastern Cape 32.183333°S 25.616667°E / -32.183333; 25.616667	1937	284 km^2 (110 sq mi)
Namaqua National Park		Northern Cape 30.043333°S 17.586111°E / -30.043333; 17.586111	1999	1,350 km^2 (520 sq mi)
Table Mountain National Park		Western Cape 33.966667°S 18.425°E / -33.966667; 18.425	19 May 1998	243 km^2 (94 sq mi)
Tankwa Karoo National Park		Northern Cape 32.25°S 19.75°E / -32.25; 19.75	19 May 1986	1,216 km^2 (470 sq mi)
West Coast National Park		Western Cape 33.120833°S 18.066667°E / -33.120833; 18.066667	1985	363 km^2 (140 sq mi)

Location of national parks

South African National Parks

See also

• Protected areas of South Africa – Areas protected for conservation in South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife – The body responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in KwaZulu-Natal
• Eastern Cape Parks – The body responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in the Eastern Cape
• Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs – The government department responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in Gauteng.
• Mpumalanga Parks Board – The body responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in Mpumalanga
• North West Parks and Tourism Board – The body responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in the North West
• Cape Nature – The body responsible for maintaining wilderness areas and public nature reserves in the Western Cape

Notes

1. Groenkloof and Graspan/Vaalbos are declared national parks in legislation but are not operationally functional national parks.^[5]

References

1. South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
2. South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
3. South Africa National Parks. "Brief History". SANParks. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
4. South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
5. South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
6. "National Parks Tourism Income Breaks the Half-a-billion Rand Barrier". Siyabona Africa. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
7. "About Us: Nature's Best!". South African National Parks. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
8. "/Ai /Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park". Peace Parks Foundation. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
9. "/Ai-/Ais Hot Springs Game Park". Ministry of Environment and Tourism Namibia. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
10. "Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park". Peace Parks Foundation. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
11. House of Assembly Debates, cols 4366-81, 31 May 1926.
12. Stevenson-Hamilton, James (1993). South African Eden: The Kruger National Park 1902–1946. Struik Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86825-343-2.
13. "Marakele NP" (PDF).

External links

• South African National Parks
• Interview with Head, Business Development, South African National Parks