Day visits to the Kruger National Park remain suspended indefinitely as persistent heavy rainfall continues to affect large parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, including several areas within the park.
In a statement on Friday, South African National Parks (SANParks) said the suspension was necessary due to ongoing safety risks posed by saturated infrastructure, flooding, and damaged internal roads.
Access to the park is now strictly limited to essential delivery vehicles, airport transfers for guests with proof of confirmed flight bookings, visitors with existing overnight reservations at Berg en Dal, Pretoriuskop, and Skukuza rest camps, as well as essential staff members.
SANParks confirmed that the northern regions of the park remain inaccessible because of extensive flooding and road damage.
A new development was reported at Satara Rest Camp, where staff living quarters have been flooded. SANParks said affected staff were safely evacuated as a precautionary measure and that no injuries were reported. The camp has been closed after water supply and electricity were disrupted.
All tourism activities, including guided game drives and bush walks, remain suspended as many internal roads are either damaged, waterlogged or inaccessible, making conditions unsafe.
Guests exiting the park have been urged to remain cautious and monitor updates on road conditions outside the park, as several provincial and regional routes in Limpopo and Mpumalanga are also affected by flooding.
SANParks said it is continuing to monitor the situation closely in collaboration with disaster management authorities and will issue further updates as conditions evolve.
“The safety of guests, staff and surrounding communities remains our highest priority,” SANParks said.
Members of the public have been encouraged to follow SANParks communication platforms and local traffic advisories for official updates.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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