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

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

Post by Flutterby »

Let the madness commence! :evil:


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

Post by okie »

Mel wrote:So it becomes real now 0:

(What was the excuse for the minister to cancel that rhino poaching briefing? 0' )
because its easier to milk the corruption cow than a dead rhino :O^


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

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Villagers and traditional leaders living adjacent to the park could not be left out. The Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders in Mpumalanga, Lamek Mokoena, has welcomed the developments.

“It will bring so much relieve in terms of job creation, and in terms of attracting more tourists to come in our area, when they do that, many of our people will get employment. Our request as Amakhosi is that let the local labour be used, people from outside can be used if they provide some expertise that cannot be found here.”

We are looking forward to this contribution enormously from the beginning of the project to the end

Minister Molewa says the tourism industry creates over 700 000 jobs annually. She says it is important to grow the sector and ensure the prevention of environmental degradation.

The Minister says the building of the lodge will benefit both residents of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

“We are looking forward to this contribution enormously from the beginning of the project to the end. In 18 months, as we open our doors, we will expect about 250 visitors, in the rooms per day and that will really add to the tourism market in this area, from the point of view of job creation but also to wealth creation as well as ensure that there is sustainable livelihood, developed.”

Molewa says all environmental laws have been followed to ensure that the development only produces positive results. She says 300 jobs will be created.

“We will ensure that we work with the province here, for the development of SMMEs' small, medium and micro enterprises, tour guides, and operators in different fields of tourisms. We will actually do the artefact's markets, it will grow, the many people who are here, because we will be providing for the people who are affluent, the executives, it will all grow.”

SANPARKS says a conference aimed at inviting business people to invest in the construction of lodges at other parks in the country will be held soon.

http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/e1fef88040 ... n-20170218


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

Post by okie »

Richprins wrote:Villagers and traditional leaders living adjacent to the park could not be left out. The Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders in Mpumalanga, Lamek Mokoena, has welcomed the developments.

.................................

Minister Molewa says the tourism industry creates over 700 000 jobs annually. She says it is important to grow the sector and ensure the prevention of environmental degradation.

The Minister says the building of the lodge will benefit both residents of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

“We are looking forward to this contribution enormously from the beginning of the project to the end. In 18 months, as we open our doors, we will expect about 250 visitors, in the rooms per day and that will really add to the tourism market in this area, from the point of view of job creation but also to wealth creation as well as ensure that there is sustainable livelihood, developed.”

Molewa says all environmental laws have been followed to ensure that the development only produces positive results. She says 300 jobs will be created.

.........
Spending R230 million for this project means the cost of creating each job is well in excess of R750 000 each 0*\


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

Post by Richprins »

My analysis in red.

SOD TURNING HERALDS THE START OF SKUKUZA SAFARI LODGE PROJECT


According to South African National Parks (SANParks) CEO, Fundisile Mketeni, hard work coupled with careful planning ended in the first sod being turned on the construction side of the Skukuza Safari Lodge today. This is not careful planning, at least to get a job done it is not. The idea was mooted in 2009 already, but not admitted to until around 2011, when the first plans were announced to commence EIA's and what not. The budget has since then increased by over 100 million rand. all that has been planned well is the limited revelation of the scope and scale of this venture viz. public and media awareness and participation. There was one meeting with stakeholders years ago. All the planning happened long before Molewa and Mketeni's time.

Mketeni said this new development is set to raise KNP’s competitiveness as one of the premier meetings and events destinations in the country… “with this new additional accommodation, we will be able to host various sizes of events, exhibitions, conventions and meetings, while this will also cement the parks international reputation for sustainable business establishments, it will also make a real contribution to job creation during the construction phase and afterwards.”

There is absolutely no reliable empirical evidence for this. A case in point is the adjacent Mdhluli Conference centre, which was eventually forced through at huge taxpayers expense despite warnings of its financial sustainability. It was finished in 2011, before the forums...around R200 million itself with massive cost overruns and time lag, private contractors having to finish the job. The utilisation figures of that centre remain hidden, even being described as irrelevant. It is mostly used for SANParks functions and government meetings, so even if they pay it is taxpayer money again. The conference centre is now used as justification for the hotel, one white elephant for another, IMO. Nobody from the public ever indicated a desire for a conference centre or hotel in any significant way.


Speaking at the sod turning ceremony, Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr Edna Molewa, said the Kruger National Park is a valued asset to our country. “Therefore any development, as long as it adapts to the key principles of conservation will without any shadow of doubt increase the contribution to the country’s economy and create the much need jobs for people leaving in areas adjacent to this iconic national park.”

This in absolutely no way "adapts to the key principles of conservation", in fact quite the opposite, with added pressure on the already hammered roads and security in the area.

In dispelling fears that the new lodge will increase footprint in the KNP, Minister Molewa said, SANParks is mandated in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas (Act No 57 of 2003), Section 55 (2) (h) to provide accommodation and facilities for visitors, including provision of food and household supplies.
“We are therefore, confident that this facility will not significantly increase the human footprint of the park as plans are underway to ensure that patrons to Skukuza Safari Lodge will either be transported by charter flights or group transport like tour busses.”

How does the increase in buses and aircrafts and supply vehicles and staff vehicles and game vehicles and tourist vehicles and what not increase the human footprint???? What does "significantly" mean??? Just because the Act "mandates" SP to create accommodation does not mean it MUST. Plans should not be "underway" to ensure things if planning has been done "carefully" already?

She further stated that currently the development of footprint in the KNP, comprising of tourist facilities, staff housing, tourists roads, support infrastructure and management roads, currently constitutes 6285 ha or 0.3% to the total of 2 000 000 ha of the park. In terms of international IUCN standards a park could be developed to 10% of its size. “This means the claims of over-development and over commercialisation of the Kruger National Park are exaggerated and unfounded.”


This is a wild, often repeated and convenient lie and utterly disingenuous. The south of the park comprises a small fraction of the 2 million hectares, maybe 15%. It has three of the four biggest camps in Kruger, and six of the ten non-border gates of the park, including around 80% of day visitor traffic, given the questionable statistics. There are areas the size of the south that exist in the north without any significant tourism activity. The south is saturated, end of story.

The lodge will be developed within the existing camp footprint in an area that is already highly affected by development. Trees within the lodge footprint area will be retained as far as possible, in particular the planted baobab trees on the south western border that remain from the old warden house which will be accommodated in the design of the lodge; and there will be a buffer zone between the existing facilities and the Skukuza Safari Lodge development.

At least 4 existing tourist huts will be destroyed to make space, and many others rendered virtually untenable during the construction phase. (And maybe afterward depending on the negative impact/undesirability created after the hotel completion) These regularly and reliably provide millions of rands in annual income, paid off infrastructure income with little overhead. That will be lost.


Dr Molewa said this Skukuza project will in total create between 250 to 300 jobs from conceptualisation, construction and operational stages. “These jobs are vital in the Lowveld region where unemployment runs up to 70% of the regional population.”

The astronomical costs involved could create FAR more sustainable jobs via more suitable channels, as said above, without the "temporary" part. SP have already indicated the hotel could be privatised after completion, which would mean income would leave the Lowveld and even the country anyway, as other workers and companies benefit. the income from said privatisation will not reappear in the communities.

She said government’s policy dictates that because the location of most conservation agencies is in deep rural areas with not much economic opportunities, these agencies must create alternative revenue generation options due to a fact that there are a lot of socio-economic needs government has to look after. “It is for this reason that our national parks should create products that appeal to all sections of our society – as government we are very excited to be part of this milestone.”

The government of the day may dictate what it wishes, and they often do. But that is not at all in synch with the Act, it is their interpretation of it, as is their interpretation of the function of a wide range of other parastatals and state entities, with disastrous financial and corruption results. The government of the day may disappear soon, and then? Anyway, the government has gigantic departments with budgets that dwarf SANParks that are tasked with job creation and community upliftment. Taxpayers are now paying double then. It is not Kruger's core mandate to create jobs at all.If this is such a "milestone", why has it not been shouted from the rooftops as a panacea to the communities' woes for years now?

The Skukuza Conference Lodge is expected to be a 3 Star facility with 128 rooms. The lodge will be located within the existing Skukuza Rest Camp next to the conference centre with the intention of extending itself to the conference delegates.

Once again, one can't now say "expected". A thorough analysis should have been done before such a massive financial gamble was taken. It was initially meant to be 4 or 5 star. Tenders could not match that expectation within the budget, so it was downgraded, which defeats the object. Tenders were re-advertised only a few months ago in this regard, to preferential bidders to hasten the project. This should raise red flags.


The full development cost of the Conference Lodge (Lodge, bulk services and staff housing) amounting to R269,5 Million, is funded from the Infrastructure Development Grant.

We absolutely expect the project to have cost and time overruns which increase the financial input to over half a billion rand, given the previous Mdhluli fiasco. Time will tell. The conference centre barely pays for its staff and overheads, IMO, and will take many years, if ever, to recoup the financial investment. Similarly, a financial analyst may advise us on the time period involved in recouping the costs of the hotel, given the fact that it must run constantly with a full complement of staff, far more than the conference centre, with a huge and increasing wage bill and far greater maintenance overheads for an even 3 star facility (with as yet untested occupancy forecasts)? The Skukuza Hotel has been budgeted for in the amorphous SANParks financial statements at R250 000 000 over the last two financial years, so not sure where that money is going to then? https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=318&t=1448


***ENDS***

For previous media statements go to http://www.sanparks.org
Issued by South African National Parks Corporate Communications. Tel: 012 426 5170

For Media Enquiries:
William Mabasa: SANParks Acting Head of Communications Tel: 012 426 5170; Cell: 082 807 3919; Email: william.mabasa@sanparks.org
or
Reynold “ReyT” Thakhuli: SANParks GM: Media, PR & Stakeholder Relations Tel: 012 426 5203; Cell: 073 373 4999; Email: rey.thakhuli@sanparks.org[/quote]




The point is, the ridiculously slow progress regarding this venture, spanning the tenure of various national and SP officials and with little or no public and private comment, warrants serious investigation. It amounts to exactly the kind of wasteful and fruitless government expenditure that increasingly bedevils our collapsing economy, and there is absolutely no reason not to be wary regarding the ultimate motives of the participants, both now and 7 years ago. There has been an element of opaqueness, if not downright secrecy regarding this and other SANParks ventures over recent years, that do not befit the utilisation of a global heritage, and that mentality is increasing. It is also a slap in the face regarding security and finances during this antipoaching war, allowing a flood of construction workers into a sensitive area.

In my personal opinion, this will just be an occasionally utilised playpen for government officials and gatherings, and represent a huge financial loss to the DETRIMENT of communities.


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

Post by H. erectus »

Richprins wrote:SP have already indicated the hotel could be privatised after completion
H. Bredenoord, Protea hotels, sat in on those meetings long before
this concept was ok'd,..a forgone conclusion maybe!!!


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

Post by Richprins »

Another thing is that these vanity projects were part of the general reigning in of expenditure in yesterday's parliamentary budget speech, so interesting timing? -O-


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

Post by H. erectus »

Today managed to consume and filter all the info
regarding this new gate only to find self somewhat
into second thoughts about the integrity of this venture.

However, I have yet to be entertained by authority
about more and other issues far greater than only
this local shortfall in some circles, politically inspired!!


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

Post by RogerFraser »

Members please find response to Parliamentary question What is the final cost for construction of the Skukuza Safari Lodge
RNW1061-2017-05-19.doc
(369.5 KiB) Downloaded 121 times


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

Post by PennyinSA »

Now I have seen and heard everything. Please note I never use these - but I am now =O: 0*\ @#$ O/


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