AfriForum welcomes SANParks’ rejection of proposed name change for Kruger National Park

AfriForum welcomes the clear statement by Hapiloe Sello, CEO of SANParks, that the Kruger National Park will not be renamed. Her comments confirm what AfriForum has maintained from the start: that the Kruger National Park is a heritage brand of immense value to South Africa and that attempts to change its name are legally unfounded, divisive, and damaging.

“This is a victory for the rule of law and for common sense,” says Marais de Vaal, AfriForum’s Advisor for Environmental Affairs. “It shows that opportunistic politicians cannot simply bypass official processes or use national heritage for political point-scoring.”

Meanwhile, AfriForum’s recent petition against the Kruger National Park’s proposed name change was also signed by more than 1 100 people.

AfriForum hopes that SANParks’ firm position will put the matter to rest once and for all so that attention can return to the real challenges facing conservation, tourism and community development around the Kruger National Park.