News

Mokala National Park was established in 2007 as an alternative to the Vaalbos National Park which was the subject of a land claim. This is the realization of a commitment that SANParks made to the Northern Cape Government at the time of the land claim.

The expansion in Mokala National Park will help realize the three prime objectives in the area, namely:

• The conservation of a representative sample of the regions prominent ecological patterns associated with the interface of two Biomes (Nama-Karoo & Savanna) and ecological processes (e.g., rocky hills and sandy plains interfaces, large herbivore, riverine etc) in a contiguous functional conservation area.
• The establishment of an economically sustainable park.
• Developing a park that is socially sustainable through the development of entrenched social linkages across the local area.

According to Dr. David Mabunda, SANParks CEO, “Since 2000 SANParks has added some 55 8897 ha to our system of national parks. The Government and SANParks accounted for 54% of this through direct acquisition, donors acquired 21%, contractual inclusion of private land a further 11%, and the transfer of other government land 15%. We are very excited about the dropping of this fence as it signifies the seriousness with regards to our mandate as SANParks of increasing the national conservation estate.”

In order to achieve its national mandate of conserving representative samples of South Africa”s different ecological landscapes, the establishment of ecologically sustainable park remains a priority for SANParks. In this regard, the expanded park offers a diversity of landscapes characteristic of this area of the Northern Cape, ranging from rocky hills through to the sandy plains with scattered pans, through to the threatened ecosystem of the Riet River landscape.

Mokala is also home to a number game species like, Eland, Giraffe, Roan Sable, Disease free Buffalo, Gemsbok, Red Hartebeest and Tsessebe, to mention just a few.

Issued by:
South African National Parks (SANParks) Corporate Communications
Tel: 012 426 5170

Enquiries:
Reynold “Rey” Thakhuli
General Manager: Media & Stakeholder Relations, SANParks
Tel: 012 426 5203; Cell: 073 373 4999
Email: [email protected]

OR

Gabrielle “Gabby” Venter
SANParks Manager: Media and Stakeholder Relations
Tel: 012 426 5065; Cell: 083 825 9435
Email: [email protected]