Table Mountain National Park is Africa’s leading tourist destination and is ‘probably the biggest ecotourism draw in the province,’ according to Andricus van der Westhuizen, DA’s committee chairperson.
It is run and maintained by SANParks, however, local conservation entity CapeNature has recently proposed taking over the national park. The suggestion that they swap one of their parks for the TMNP was made ‘during the deliberation on the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, and CapeNature’s 2021/22 annual reports,’ according to IOL.
Picture: Cape{Town}etc
Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, believes that CapeNature would manage the safety and conservation in the reserve better than is currently being done. Van der Westhuizen agrees, stating that ‘with the exceptional management displayed by CapeNature, it would only make sense for this park to also be run by this entity,’ reports Cape{Town}etc.
CapeNature’s most recent tourism income surpassed pre-pandemic income, making over R50.5 million in the last financial year. They rapidly recovered visitor numbers through the excellent promotion of eco-tourism in the province, writes IOL.
A meeting will be scheduled between Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy, Bredell, Premier Alan Winde, and Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille to discuss this proposal.
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