Cabinet has welcomed all the parties involved in reaching consensus on the positioning of the Shangoni Gate in the northern part of the Kruger National Park.
This follows a long-standing dispute on the positioning of the Shangoni Gate amongst communities around and adjacent to the Shangoni Gate on the northern part of the Kruger National Park (KNP).
"The Shangoni Gate will provide a major boost to tourism development and growth. It will also catalyse local economic development for both the Vhembe and Mopani district municipalities by providing job and business opportunities for the local communities," Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday.
The Minister made these remarks in Cape Town during a media briefing on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting that was held on Wednesday.
A statement from the Department of Tourism said that the department committed financial assistance to the South African National Parks (SANParks) in 2016 for the development of the Shangoni Gate.
The project was supported as it would catalyse local economic development for both the Vhembe and Mopani District Municipalities in Limpopo by providing job and business opportunities for the local communities through improved access to the KNP especially from the northern side.
In a statement last week, Tourism Deputy Minister Fish Mahlalela said a stakeholder meeting took place at Mopani Camp in the northern part of the KNP and a final resolution was reached in which all parties agreed on the position of the gate on 5 March 2024.
The Deputy Minister also said that the meeting had agreed that a sub-committee would be set up with representatives from all concerned parties to ensure that the surrounding communities reap the benefits of the opening of this new gate.
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"Cabinet was [also] appraised about the working progress to increase the volume and value of domestic and international tourism. The recent official release by Stats SA [Statistics of South Africa] of international arrival figures from January to December 2023 underscores the rising momentum of [the] South African tourism sector as the international tourists' arrivals for this period totalled 8.5 million - a remarkable increase of 48.9% compared to 2022," Minister Ntshavheni said.
Furthermore, Cabinet received a progress report on measures to address the backlogs on tour operator licenses.
"The Department of Tourism will partner with relevant institutions and structures, including the Department of Transport Interim National Public Transport Regulator Committee, to ensure improvement and more quicker turn-around times in the processing of tour operator licenses," she said.
The plans also include establishing a call centre to handle tour operator queries.
