The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) is working to contain the impact of illegal strike action by employees at several nature reserves under its management – a situation that has drawn sharp criticism from industry stakeholders and raised concerns about the stability of tourism in the province.

Employees who are members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) embarked on a strike in March, leading to the closure of multiple sites including God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Three Rondawels in the Blyde River Canyon along Mpumalanga’s popular Panorama Route. Employees also embarked on strikes at the Manyeleti and Loskop Dam nature reserves.

In response, the MTPA sought urgent legal relief and its application for a Court interdict “against illegal striking employees” was granted, the agency confirmed in a media statement issued on March 26. The MTPA indicated it will now work with the South African Police Service to enforce the order and restore operations.

Simphiwe Shungube, MTPA’s Senior Manager: Corporate Communications, emphasised the strike is unprocedural and unprovoked. “The employees are alleging that the MTPA breached an agreement that the entity has signed with NEHAWU. However, the MTPA is of the strong view that it has not breached any agreement,” he said. “The entity invited the union to a meeting to discuss and understand their issues but NEHAWU decided to boycott the meeting. They then resorted to the illegal strike.”

Shungube acknowledged the damage caused to the local tourism economy and said the MTPA is taking steps to avoid further disruption. “We want to make the interdict a final order. Executive management will engage NEHAWU leadership to stop such conduct,” he said. “Many people depend on tourism for job creation. We will further engage all stakeholders to work together to position Mpumalanga as a preferred tourism destination.”

While the MTPA maintains that the strike is without legal basis, some within the tourism industry are frustrated by the broader fallout. Oupa Pilane, Co-Founder and Director of the Graskop Gorge Lift Company along the Panorama Route, called the closures “economic sabotage”.

He said: “Just as businesses are about to pick up, you close your site. If you close the Panorama Route, people don’t come. This has a serious impact on growing our numbers.”

Instability linked to the MTPA has resulted in a decline in interest in the region, Pilane added.

“We have seen a drop in our domestic numbers. We’ve also seen a drop in a lot of tour operators coming into the region. The consequences are terrible, especially for the private sector. We put a lot of money into trying to market this province, which is then sabotaged.”

However, the MTPA has stressed that Mpumalanga remains open to travellers. “We want to assure all tourists that the illegal strikes will be prevented,” said Shungube. “There are many tourism offerings in Mpumalanga where tourists can have lasting experiences. We are ready to welcome tourists to the place of the rising sun.”

Pilane agreed that the province has much more to offer beyond MTPA-managed reserves. “MTPA sites are not the only sites in Mpumalanga. Especially along the Panorama Route, we’ve got a number of other attractions and activities that do not belong to the MTPA and, therefore, continue to operate.”