What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels in Kruger?

General Information & Discussion on Hotels in Kruger
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H. erectus
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by H. erectus »

Besides logistical challenges of note, rather more the honorable
minister becoming challenged with integrity problems as well,..

.gov not practicing properly in their daily uptake of crucial issues,
sub-ordinates standing in and taking decision pro development!!


Heh,.. H.e
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Richprins
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by Richprins »

Ja, H. , money not coming... 0*\

9 years now for Malelane hotel, surely that must be some sort of record, even for SA? lol

But Skuks hotel to start soon, one hears... O-/


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H. erectus
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by H. erectus »

Read somewhere down the line that the tented camp
will now be done in Skuks.???? 0*\ -O- -O-

Such an attempt would not surprise me but it cannot
be because the EIA's are not matching. Also the traffic
studies not yet complete and approved.


Heh,.. H.e
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Richprins
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by Richprins »

Mr Mabasa has stated Skukuza Hotel construction will commence soon, but no definite date given...perhaps as early as March. :evil:


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H. erectus
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by H. erectus »

Mr Mabasa's fleeting comment needs some
TLC(tender loving care) before going public
in all ignorance!!!

Him and all his fundi's still subject to EIA values,.

I have yet to receive a final Impact Assessment
on traffic impact and more so, a detailed report
on greater activity in the park!!! NEMA suggesting!!


Heh,.. H.e
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Richprins
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by Richprins »

That is more the Malelane hotel?

But traffic also issue with Skuks, H.

Anyway, they are going ahead in Skuks, regardless, it seems.

But they have promised construction starting for many years, every year! lol


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H. erectus
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by H. erectus »

Noooo noo noo,
Richprins wrote: Anyway, they are going ahead in Skuks, regardless, it seems.

The PPP not quite done,...and will never be done till the construction
is complete!!


Heh,.. H.e
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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by Flutterby »

Building of Skukuza Lodge to start soon, Malelane Lodge on hold

By Elize Parker
07/02/2017

The building of the Skukuza Conference Centre is to go ahead in the next few weeks with Murray and Roberts as project managers. The construction of the Malelane Safari Lodge however has run into all sorts of trouble.

SKUKUZA – The construction of Malelane Safari Lodge (MSL) in the Kruger National Park (KNP) has been put on hold, but it is all systems go for the construction of the 250-bed Skukuza Conference Lodge.

The lodges will add almost 500 beds to the accommodation available in the Kruger National Park.

According to Mr William Mabasa, acting head of SANParks communications, the tender for Skukuza Conference Lodge construction has been awarded and work on the project will start within a few weeks.

Murray and Roberts Construction is the project manager, and JR Mashilo Lambrechts is the architect.

The budget for the project is R230 million and it will be financed solely by SANParks. As previous tenders called for by Murray and Roberts for subcontractors were too high, new tenders will be called for.

MSL, which is also planned in the Malelane Gate Precinct, is short of funding, partly due to all requirements set by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) not being met.

Mr Michael Wright of Secprop Leisure, a shareholder in the development company of the tented camp at Malelane Gate, said they hoped to sort out the funding challenges before the end of the month. The estimated cost for the construction of MSL is R273 million, according to Wright.

The total cost of construction, including the opening and start-up capital, is predicted to be R335 million. It will comprise 240 beds in a tented camp, and once completed, provide 130 jobs.

The international hotel group, Rezidor Radisson Blu, will manage the lodge.

SANParks is not contributing financially towards the lodge but only towards the development of the park-and-ride facility at the gate. Guests will leave their cars at the gate and be driven to the lodge.

The project was conceptualised seven years ago, but has been held back by various factors, including outstanding environmental impact studies (EIA) and resistance to the commercialisation of the KNP by activist groups.

Wright is pressing ahead with negotiations with possible investors and foresaw that guests will be able to move into the tented camp in September 2018.

He emphasised that no extra approvals were required from the minister of environmental affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa, but that his company still needs to submit two studies to her as specified when the EIA was approved in April 2016.

They were unable to complete the traffic-impact study and a study on the impact of the park-and-ride facility, in the specified time. The department has given him another six months to do this.

Wright has five years to complete the project.

“As soon as we have funding in place for these studies, we will also be able to go ahead with them and submit them to the minister and SANParks,” Wright told Lowvelder.
According to him, the project is likely to proceed in June.

The lodge was designed by a Ballito-based architect. Bushtec Safaris will be responsible for erecting the tents.

Wright explained that as the owner, “we will provide services to guests like game drives, bush walks, birding and stargazing”.

Mr Reynold Thakhuli, SANParks’s general media manager, confirmed that the the developer needed to sort out any objections.

“We have some issues to iron out. We cannot commit to a date when work will start,” he said. We need to carefully look at all these concerns as SANParks is a state-owned entity”.

Mr Fred de Groot, who is registered as an interested party for Africa Wild in the public participation process (PPP) concerning MSL, told Lowvelder it was clear that funds would not be available soon, not even for the extra two studies.

“Some investors, like the Africa Fund of the European Union, apparently indicated that it would not like to be involved any more as investors.”

He is concerned that protocol on the PPP was not followed by Secprop Leisure, as interested and affected parties had to be advised that the company would be asking for an extension so that they could send comments to the minister’s office.

*At the time of going to press, the DEA and Rezidor Blu Radisson had not responded to requests for comment.


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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by Flutterby »

Mr Fred de Groot, who is registered as an interested party for Africa Wild in the public participation process (PPP) concerning MSL, told Lowvelder it was clear that funds would not be available soon, not even for the extra two studies.
Well done H.e!! \O


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Re: What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels?

Post by ExFmem »

Keep up the good work and conscientious vigilance H.e. \O \O


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