Open Safari Vehicles in Kruger

[Richprins]

SANParks' Communication General Manager, Reynold Thakhuli, says it's envisaged that the project will attract many tourists and at the same time open lots of job opportunities for the local people.

Thakhuli says the project is launched for the value of customers who come to the park. “We have realised that there is a potential in the open safari vehicle industry. The past calculations are telling us that we have managed to actually make over R25 million per annum in this industry.”

He says they think that with the new project, SANParks will be able to double the figures in the name of growing the industry, not for compromising its core mandate which is conservation, but also paying attention to transformation issues within the tourism service industry.

Good Gravy, they are really covering every possible justification for this endeavour...even rhino poaching has been dragged into it! Also already conveniently saying it will not interfere with the core mandate of conservation.

Once again SANParks has mirrored the core mentality of government: that if you simply state something, it MUST be true.


Never mind research, implications, visitor opinions, surveys, experimental stages etc.

Screw that. WE SAY IT IS FINE AND IT WILL BE SO...


At least man up and say it is all about making more money, end of story.

As said, private OSV operators do not form part of Kruger's daily gate quota, nobody knows why. This will add to congestion, no matter staggered entry times and no-entry roads. Also end of story.

[H. erectus]

Chrome dome Phillips needs to be taken to task here!!!~!

At the Groenkloof meet re; Skuks hotel replied to my query
That Sanparks forward a list of other activity and development\
regarding Kruger!!! Corly Havenga and associates were told to
include Malelane hotel as possible benefactors to traffic congestion,..

And lo and behold Sanparks will forever merit each and every mission
on it's own ground, not taking the bigger picture in consideration!!1

These EIA's stink to the rotting bone!!!!!

[H. erectus]

Chrome dome Phillips needs to be taken to task here!!!~!

At the Groenkloof meet re; Mr de Waal, Skuks hotel, replied to my query
That Sanparks forward a list of other activity and development\
regarding Kruger!!! Corly Havenga and associates were told to
include Malelane hotel as possible benefactors to traffic congestion,..

And lo and behold Sanparks will forever merit each and every mission
on it's own ground, not taking the bigger picture in consideration!!1

These EIA's stink to the rotting bone!!!!!

[Richprins]

This whole thing flies in the face of Kruger's much-repeated mantra of justifying commercialisation, for example, as a desperate means of creating more financial gain as SANParks is forced to be self-funding by the Government, and Kruger has to support other National Parks financially. That is simply not true. SP posts a healthy profit every year, without hotels, if their financial statements and "audits" are to be believed. (Before hotels)

The reason why SP does not now ask OSV operators for extra money for these privileges is no big secret.

Kruger cannot provide the vehicles and qualified guides for the hotels (Malelane and Skukuza) due to come up, and will rely on private operators to keep those ventures going, and even for other "park and ride" ventures in the future.

It is now convenient to support private operators, therefore, and make no mistake this is an "about turn"...I know for a fact SP would bully OSV's to extract money as much as possible in the past as they were seen as competition.

[H. erectus]

In other words Sanparks have neglected in their observations that
other were picking at a lucrative bone, just lying there,...have since
put strategy in place to alter and prevent such "abuse" by private
racketeers,..

To me it only spells out that Sanparks have no control over creative
and constructive visions!!!! They forever operate in "out of control
crisis situations" ,......

How difficult can it be to operate a park, such as Kruger, if only to
keep it natural??? Law enforcement can be understood as a natural
process,...only needs to be applied!!!

Why do I say this and make a rather stupid statement, 'cause it lines
pockets!!!!

[Richprins]

Especially .gov Skuks hotel/conference guests will not want any irritating delays on their drives, be it from the airport or from wherever they left their vehicles.

This will ensure perfect service.

[H. erectus]

This will ensure perfect service.

It stinks to the bone, maybe a rotting one as such!!!

[Richprins]

At least man up and say it is all about making more money, end of story.

The moneymaking is elsewhere here!

[Scipio]

So. A few questions.
1:Will only 4x4 osv be allowed?
2:Will osv be able to go offroad with confirmed sighting?
3:Will osv driver have special driving skills?.

This is only the start. What is in the letter of the agreement. Maybe high standing Groovy can ellaborate.

[Joker]

My concern is the part : "open lots of job opportunities for the local people". Is this going to mean that there is going to be some quick crash courses again for the OSV drivers?