The tourism industry continues to rally and focus on addressing gaps in security following an attempted hijacking and fatal shooting near the Kruger National Park’s Numbi Gate on Monday (October 3).

South African National Parks (SANParks) has urged tourists to consider utilising alternative entrance gates into the Kruger National Park instead of the Numbi Gate.

SANParks Acting CEO, Hapiloe Sello, said the organisation was deeply saddened by the recent spate of attacks on visitors en-route to the iconic national park, particularly on the road leading to Numbi Gate in the south of the park. She urged tourists with active and future bookings to use other entrance gates to the park. 

“We fully appreciate that this incident has brought a lot of apprehension to many of our loyal local and international visitors which could result in cancellations for planned visits to the park and surrounding areas,” she said.

Sello reminded visitors that Kruger has a total of 10 gates, from where tourists can safely enter. 

In the south of the park there are five other entrances – Paul Kruger, Phabeni and Orpen Gates through the R40 from White River as well as Malelane and Crocodile Bridge through the N4 toll road towards Komatipoort in Mpumalanga province.

In the north of the park, visitors can enter through Phalaborwa, Punda Maria or Pafuri, and Giriyondo Border Post allows access directly from Mozambique.

She said with the tourism industry currently in the midst of a post-COVID-19 recovery plan, such incidents undermined the marketing efforts of tourism stakeholders.

Police Minister Bheki Cele had confirmed to her that the three people being held in custody by the South African Police Service were suspects in Monday’s murder and had been arrested.  

Safety further ramped up

A security cluster meeting – which includes tourism stakeholders in Mpumalanga, including SATSA, the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (KLCBT) and the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency – will be held next week to assess how security can be ramped up at all Mpumalanga attractions.

 In the meantime, the following additional measures have been introduced:

• Adding more private security
• Extending camera coverage
• Adding another patrol on the affected stretch of road
• Establishing a telephone number for emergencies

SATSA Co-chair and chairman of the KLCBT, Oupa Pilane, said security measures prior to Monday’s incident included the appointment of a security firm to patrol the Numbi Road – funded by the TBCSA – deployment of the flying squad, K9 unit, and increased visibility along the Numbi Road.