This has also to do with the land claims.
The mandate is no longer to fund conservation but also generate funds for the communities.
SANParks has adopted to expand tourism products and the generation of additional revenue for funding of conservation and socio economic development. This will also see to the accelerated transformation in our concessionaire network as well as the creation of sustainable tourism businesses for the land claimants in KNP
(Annual Performance Plan 2018-2019)
The KNP Management Plan 2018 states:
2.9 Land claims
There are currently (2018) 15 land claims registered against the park.
In 2008 Cabinet made a decision to give the KNP land claimants alternative redress. The decision not to restore the land rights in the park, which is considered a national and international asset, was taken after careful consideration and is intended to strike a balance between the rights of the claimant communities and the interests of society as a whole. The Cabinet:
approved the use of equitable redress as the only option for the settlement of land claims against the Kruger National Park;
approved that the Land Claims Commission and the Departments of Environmental Affairs and Tourism jointly inform the affected claimant communities of the above decision prior to any public statement on the matter;
noted that the Commission on Restitution for Land Rights reserves the rights to assist claimants in any possible recourse by claimants; and
approved that the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs must submit a memorandum aimed at facilitating a strategic discussion on Land restitution.
Equitable redress refers to the awarding of alternative land and / or financial compensation in settlement of a valid land claim lodged against the State by an individual or a community.
Financial compensation would be envisaged as the only option for claimants. The State will retain title to the land within the park. The equitable redress option proposed by the State includes the awarding of financial compensation and or alternative land, possibly coupled with other benefits for claimant communities which will be informed by the guiding principles. This may include: access to ancestral and traditional sites and graves on agreed calendar days for traditional and ritual commemorations; acknowledgement of the history of communities when naming facilities and camps, environmental education (EE) and learning for children and youth; job opportunities; preferential procurement opportunities; introduction of a "community levy" to be levied on all visitors to be channelled into a Community Trust Fund to fund future community development projects; broad-based black economic empowerment opportunities and equity in commercial concessions. The additional benefits will be finalised subject to further engagement with the affected claimants. The negotiations and settlement processes for the outstanding land claims are continuing between SANParks, the Land Claims Commission and the claimants.
SANParks has to facilitate and support the settlement and implementation of land claims in the park through the beneficiation scheme initiatives and did so.
A land claim is settled in two phases with phase one being the financial compensation and phase two in the form of projects aimed at ensuring the communities continue to benefit in the longer term from business opportunities within the Park.
SANParks engaged with land claimants and negotiated beneficiation schemes (in addition to compensation agreements), the results are:
Other benefits negotiated for the Skukuza project were jobs for claimants.
The settlement of land claims are another driver of development in KNP and the next step might be another couple of concessions were claimants get some percentage of the profit (free 10% equity share in new commercial operations through the Concessions).