28 October 2003

Infrastructure development projects to implement the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park are rapidly gaining momentum on the Kruger National Park side of the conservation area.

The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a conservation area which brings together some of the best and most established wildlife areas in southern Africa. It is a joint agreement between Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe to establish a transfrontier park comprising three national parks – the Kruger National Park, the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe and the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

The transfrontier park covers an area of 3 577 144 hectares, which is a total surface area of 35 000 km˛. The park is made up of 58 percent South African, 24 percent Mozambican and 18 percent Zimbabwean territory.

The park's notable features are the convergence of tropical, moist, temperate and dry savannah types, and the presence of the "Big Five" and a large variety of other game.

Easier tourist access
According to South African National Parks (SANParks), the Kruger National Park aims to spend R40-million on the projects, most of which are designed to facilitate movement of tourists between the Kruger and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

Possibly the most important development is the new R6-million Giriyondo border post, situated 45km north-east of Letaba on the eastern boundary of the Kruger Park. When completed, the border post will offer easy access to the Limpopo Park in Mozambique, as it is approximately 100km from Phalaborwa.

Construction of the border post building, which has been designed to fit in with the environment, started in mid-July 2003 and is due for completion at the end of May 2004.

The thatched-roof building will have eight offices for Kruger reception staff and immigration officials, a walk-in safe and ablution facilities on both the arrivals and departures side of the building. There will also be two vehicle inspection points, ample parking for vehicles, access control, a guard house and two flats for security staff.

An important component of the project is the construction of staff accommodation for officials from immigration and SANParks. Seven flats and three houses are presently being constructed at the Letaba staff village.

On the other side of the border, the Mozambican authorities will start the construction of the border post building early next year.

Bigger visitors' site
The next project is the upgrade and construction of what used to be a management road into a tourist road to provide access to the Giriyondo border post. The gravel road, which is approximately 24km long, will be upgraded at a cost of R3.1-million, and will enable tourists to access it by turning eastwards (facing north) 20km from Letaba at the Maloponyana Windmill off the H1-6 main road between the Letaba and Mopani camps.

The road is at an advanced stage of construction and should be completed by the end of December 2003.

The Giriyondo access road - which has not yet been officially named - will also become the access road to the new R1.5-million Makhadzi Tourism and Interpretive Centre, which will probably be known as the Makhadzi Day Visitor’s Site when it is opened on 1 November this year.

This site, which has been designed to accommodate more than 100 tourists, has been built on the footprint of an old military base.

Other Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park projects include:

• Upgrading the present access road to the Pafuri Border Post to a tar road.
• The planning of a crossing point over the Limpopo River to Zimbabwe, which is currently under way.
• Upgrading the existing road network north of Shingwedzi to facilitate tourist travel between the Kruger and Limpopo parks.
• The development of an overnight facility in the far north region near Pafuri.
• Dismantling the 20km fence between the Kruger and Limpopo parks.
• The development of research infrastructure in the northern region of Kruger, and the relocation of the Pafuri and Punda Maria entrance gates to the boundary fence of Kruger.

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	Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park  South African National Parks  Peace Parks Foundation  Transfrontier Conservation Areas  Environmental Affairs & Tourism

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