Maynier hands over Culvert infrastructure project to SANParks
Hapiloe Sello says it will take several years to fully repair the damaged infrastructure
Minister David Maynier has officially transferred ownership of a culvert infrastructure project at Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga to SANParks. The culvert, situated on a key route between Skukuza and Lower Sabie rest camps, was severely damaged during January floods. Along with several roads, bridges, and rest camps, the culvert suffered significant harm.
Post-flood assessments estimate total damage to Kruger National Park at nearly R1 billion. Of this, R113 million is allocated for structural repair, R196 million for bridges and culverts, and R640 million for visitor and park management roads. SANParks CEO Hapiloe Sello expects the rehabilitation process to span several years, working in stages.
The national budget allocated R36 million to SANParks to aid post-flood recovery efforts. Minister Maynier praised the progress made so far, emphasizing the need for resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding future extreme weather events. SANParks Week, starting from Monday, offers free access to most national parks to South African citizens, promoting public appreciation for conservation and strengthening the bond between people and nature. So far, R85 million has been spent on the initial stage of flood damage repair.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
