David Mabunda, the first black director of the Kruger National Park, is doing all he can to increase the number of black visitors to a park that has long been perceived as a preserve of whites.
Mabunda has managed to raise the number of black visitors to 6% of the total since he took over as director four years ago. But this is a paltry 60 000 black visitors of the million visitors a year.
“The percentage of blacks visiting the park is a skewed reflection of our demographic landscape and we are determined to see this number growing soon,” says Mabunda.
Most black people, especially in poorer areas neighbouring the park, see no reason to pay money to see wild animals, so Mabunda has introduced programmes to encourage them to visit. A discount permit allows members of communities living in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, which border the reserve, to enter as often as they like for a flat fee of R560 a year. The permit covers the holder and five people, compared with the normal cost of R30 an adult, R13 a child and R24 a car each visit.
“This is a real saving for the communities, and more and more people are taking advantage of the benefits,” says Mabunda.
“There is wider acceptance of the park in the township areas, which didn’t seem to know of the heritage the park provides.”
Other projects aimed at encouraging black visitors include targeting organisations such as the South African National Taxi Council, which is encouraged to provide services to people who don’t have transport to the park.
The park has also started to advertise extensively on black radio stations and in newspapers.
The Department of Education has been encouraged to bring children into the park during school holidays or for school projects, and many government departments already host events in the park.
A market survey is planned to determine the needs of black customers
“You will understand that for many years blacks were not the primary customers in the park and as such most of the products were designed without input from that section of our population,” Mabunda explains.
The park has introduced three- to four-hour walks at a cost of R140, led by field rangers.
“These are not regimented route marches through the bush, but highly enlightening and interpretive walks,” says Mabunda.
Accommodation options cater for most pockets. The cheapest is a bungalow in Pretoriuskop camp with shared ablutions, at a cost of R160 a couple a night. Campsites are even cheaper.
Visitors will be able to experience an even wider range of attractions when the park is extended into the Banhine-Zivane reserve in Mozambique and Gonarezhou reserve in Zimbabwe, to form the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.
“Animals know no boundaries and tourism will be boosted with the establishment of the peace park,” says Mabunda. — African Eye News Service