Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
hotspots, usually in remote areas where poverty is prevalent. Tourism, as a large
scale industry, can be an opposing force for conservation as it could lead to the
over-consumption of natural resources that need to be preserved. Tourism devel-
oped by large industry players can lead to the prevalence of financially dominant
investors and market forces taking precedence over any other socioeconomic or
biodiversity needs. Whilst there are various forms of tourism, from largly consum-
ing and commercial to small-medium and micro enterprise (SMME) based, if the
context of tourism is responsibly conducted, it can provide a conduit through
which to communicate conservation and heritage imperatives.
South African National Parks (SANParks) is a state run conservation body
that runs a system of 23 national parks. With its focus on nature conservation, the
organization manages over 4 million hectares of pristine wilderness and protects
six biomes of flora including the Cape Floral Kingdom, which is unique to South
Africa. The organization was an early entrant into nature-based tourism and has a
large state run tourism base, with over 6000 beds and 6000 camping sites avail-
able. Initially these were exclusively for the use of the minority white population
(about 4 million people of European origin) and run on a not-for-profit basis.
The democratization of South Africa in 1994 changed the dynamics of the finan-
cial model for nature-based tourism in SANParks: the government is now
answerable to a larger population of 44 million people and the prioritization of
conservation was replaced by more pressing national needs. In addition to an
increased need to look after the interests of often poor neighbouring communities
adjacent to the remotely located National Parks, SANParks also embarked on a
programme to increase the amount of nature conservation land. Thus the organi-
zation was faced with increased funding requirements to satisfy both conservation
and community needs, and was forced to look for smarter and more effective
sources of funding. This chapter looks at SANParks' commercialization initiative
as achieved through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
South African National Parks' vision and mission
South African National Parks (SANParks), hitherto known as the National Parks
Board, was established as a parastatal through an Act of Parliament in 1927. As
per the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999 (as amended by Act 29 of
1999), SANParks is a Schedule 3(a) 'public entity' that functions under the ambit
of the NEMA: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act 57 of 2003) read concurrently
with the Biodiversity Act of 2004. The core mandate of SANParks is the conser-
vation and management of biodiversity and associated cultural heritage through a
system of National Parks. SANParks is also involved in the promotion and
management of nature-based tourism, and delivers both conservation manage-
ment and tourism services through an authentic people-centred approach in all its
programmes.
The organization's operations are totally guided by its vision and mission.The
vision is that national parks will be the pride and joy of all South Africans and of
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