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R193m for transfrontier parks
Nombini Matomela
7 April 2005
The government is to inject a further R193-million into South Africa's transfrontier conservation projects, in addition to the R159-million already invested.
New funding, announced by Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk during his department's budget presentation in Parliament on Wednesday, includes:
- More than R25-million for the proposed Limpopo-Shashe transfrontier park, which would cover a total area of 4 872 square kilometres, 53% of the territory being in South Africa, 28% in Botswana and 19% in Zimbabwe.
- R50-million for the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which will unite SA's Kruger National Park, the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe and the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, creating one of the world's richest animal kingdoms.
- About R60-million for the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area, which encompasses areas in South Africa and
Lesotho.
Van Schalkwyk also announced that construction of the South African side of the Giriyondo Border Post between the Kruger National Park and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique had been completed.
Over the next two years, the department will launch a major drive for investment in infrastructure and tourism development plans for the country's transfrontier conservation areas.
"Investment in our transfrontier conservation areas is not only important because of sentiment; it makes business sense", Van Schalkwyk said.
Source: BuaNews
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