News

>30 May 202

Programme Director,

I stand on all protocols observed.

This evening, we have listened to reflections on history. We have listened to a call for honesty. And we have listened to a clear and compelling vision for the future.

What stands before us now is a moment in which we must ask ourselves: What does it truly mean to belong to this place? And what does it require of us?

Across our land, long before national parks and proclamations, there were ways of knowing nature that were deeply personal. Ways of understanding that did not separate people from the land—but bound them to it. In many African traditions, a person did not encounter nature as a distant landscape. They encountered it through relationship. Through story. Through identity. Through connection. And sometimes, through a single creature.

In a recent inspiring and thought-provoking reflection, writer and conservationist Don Pinnock reminds us that conservation is not sustained by policy alone. It is sustained by connection—by the relationships that human beings form with the natural world. He speaks of the idea of a totem—not as something symbolic alone, but as a bridge between a person and a living system. A way in which one species opens the door to understanding an entire ecosystem. A way in which care begins.

Because when we begin to notice something, we begin to value it. And when we value it, we begin to protect it. This insight speaks directly to what we have heard and witnessed this evening. We have been reminded that conservation must not stand apart from people.

It must live within communities.

It must create opportunity.

It must restore dignity.

And it must be carried forward by those who feel a connection to it.

If Kruger National Park is to thrive in its next century, it must not only be known as a place of extraordinary biodiversity. It must be experienced as a place of belonging. A place where a young child from a village nearby does not only see a fence – But sees a future. A place where a visitor does not only observe wildlife – But understands their place within a larger living system. A place where communities do not stand at the margins – But stand at the centre.

This evening, through the recognition of long service, unsung heroes and those who have dedicated their lives to this institution, we have been reminded that this Park has never been sustained by policy alone. It has been sustained by people. By individuals whose commitment, often over decades, has shaped what Kruger National Park is today. In honouring them, we are reminded that the future we speak of will also depend on people – on their dedication, their values, and their connection to this work.

We have been reminded this evening that conservation is a shared responsibility. But perhaps we must go even further. It is not only responsibility that we must share. It is connection.

Connection to land.

Connection to history.

Connection to those who came before us.

And connection to those who will come after us.

In African storytelling, there is a quiet but powerful truth that teaches us that:

That the world is sustained not only by what we build, but by what we care for. And what we care for is shaped by what we recognise as part of ourselves.

We are reminded that our natural heritage is inseparable from our development, our economy and our identity. We are reminded that the future demands implementation, inclusion and participation.

These reminders set before us a clear direction.

That the next chapter of this Park must be defined not only by what it manages, but by who it empowers.

As SANParks, we accept this responsibility. We recognise the responsibility to ensure that SANParks remains relevant, responsive and rooted in the society they serve. To this extend, we are committed to ensuring that this centenary becomes a moment of transition.

From reflection to action. From intention to implementation. From history to legacy.

But none of this can be achieved by SANParks alone. And so, this evening, we extend our deep and sincere appreciation. We thank the leaders for their leadership and vision, for their commitment to ensuring that conservation serves the broader interests of our people. We acknowledge our partners across the public and private sectors, whose collaboration and investment continue to strengthen this institution. We recognise stakeholders in conservation, tourism, science and civil society, whose contribution remains invaluable.

We extend our appreciation to traditional leaders, whose guidance connects our work to culture and heritage. We acknowledge our communities – those who live alongside this park, whose histories are intertwined with it, and whose future must be shaped through it.

We thank the organisers of this evening’s event, who have ensured that this moment reflects the dignity and importance of this milestone. And we honour the men and women of SANParks—past and present—whose dedication has carried this institution forward.

There is a quiet wisdom in the idea we have reflected on tonight. That a single connection can shape how we see the world. And perhaps, if we are intentional enough, it can shape the future of a nation.

Let us leave here tonight with more than memory. Let us leave with purpose. A shared purpose to build partnerships. To nurture connection. And to ensure that conservation lives not only in policy—but in people.

Lastly, I just want to thank Bayers Trutev and Danie de Wet for being gracious with their wine donation.

Thank you my daughter, who is such a hard act to follow, the Programme Director.  May you all have a pleasant evening further.

Beryl Kerr Ferguson

Interim Chairperson, SANParks Board