HUMAN PRESENCE IN THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

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Transfrontier Park.

The idea of establishing some form of integrated cross-border conservation area between the KRUGER NATIONAL PARK and neighbouring Mozambique and/or Zimbabwe was raised on different occasions throughout the history of the Park. Though attempts during the late 1920s and the Dongola Transfrontier National Park promoted by Genl. JC Smuts in the 1940s showed some promise at the time, it never came to fruition.

The idea of cross-border co-operation between the KRUGER PARK and Mozambique again gained momentum during the 1980s. and eventually reached a point where “… the National Parks Board has become aware of, and increasingly concerned by, proposals from South African developers who have among others obtained concessions to develop wildlife parks, game ranches or safari hunting areas adjacent to the KRUGER NATIONAL PARK.

Virtually all these proposals have assumed full co-operation of the National Parks Board to advance their schemes by dropping the boundary fence between the KRUGER NATIONAL PARK and Mozambique.

To address the concerns, a Working Group with representation by Mozambique and South Africa was established in April 1970. Dr. JM Erasmus of the Sub-Committee for Natural Resources of the Commission for Economic Co-operation between South Africa and Mozambique was appointed Chairman.

The Working Group was co-chaired by Mr. Abdul Adamo, National Director of Forestry and Wildlife in Mozambique and Dr. Salomon Joubert, Park Warden of KRUGER PARK.

Great impetus was given by the personal involvement of Dr. Anton Rupert; this included a meeting with President Chissano of Mozambique in May 1990.

Subsequent meetings wee held between representatives of the Mozambican Government, the National Parks Board, the South African Nature Foundation (SANF) and the Working Group, led to the appointment of Dr. Ken Tinley to prepare a preliminary report on the scope and feasibility of the project.

The KRUGER PARK offered the services of Research Staff for initial inventory surveys, and the use of its facilities for training purposes.

The initial objective was to link the KRUGER PARK with the BANHINE NATIONAL PARK in Mozambique. A Geographical Information System presentation of the project was prepared by Dr. Tinley and Professor Willem v/d Riet by August 1991.

From the outset it was clear that the project would not involve conventional nature conservation practices only, but would also make provision for other forms of conservation-based land use and recreation.

The involvement of local communities was of prime importance.

As the project gained momentum, the possibility of incorporating the GHONA-RE ZOU NATIONAL PARK in Zimbabwe was also considered. This possibility enjoyed the support of the Chairman of the Zimbabwe Parks Board – Professor Murphree and its Director, Dr. Nduku.

These negotiations were still in progress by the end of 1994.