PONTDRIF – The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, was among the almost 2 000 visitors who attended the launch of the Mapungubwe National Park on national Heritage Day, September 24.

Van Schalkwyk said that Mapungubwe was the centrepiece of government’s plans for a Transfrontier Conservation Area with Zimbabwe and Botswana.

“These plans would truly restore Mapungubwe’s historical position as a central meeting point for cultures and people and would help us to drive regional development through conservation.

“From Robben Island in the southwest to the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park on the east coast, to this site in the extreme north of our country, we have brought together the strands of our cultural legacy and our natural splendour to forge a lasting network of heritage, conservation and economic growth,” he said.

The 30 000ha reserve was proclaimed a World Heritage site in July 2003 and boasts a number of tourist attractions, such as giant baobab trees, fever trees, bird watching and game viewing, treetop walks, night drives and top-of-the-range lodges which cater for a variety of guest requirements, ranging from self-catering Venda-style huts to other luxurious lodges. During its construction, the park created jobs for over 1 000 local people through the government’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in the building of roads, fences and accommodation facilities. Local Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) were allocated R30 million of the EPWP funding.

Also speaking at the function was South African National Parks (SANParks) CEO, David Mabunda. Mabunda said the Mapungubwe National Park will establish a world-class interpretative centre to provide a focus for research, education and interpretation of the cultural aspect to its visitors.

The centre will cost SanParks about R9 million. It would be aimed at not only displaying excavated artefacts but would also create awareness about their significance and of the area.

“The interpretative centre will be a hub for social and scientific research concentrating on archaeological finds, as well as identifying threats to this new system and nodal points of conservation growth,” said Mabunda. He added that research in the park was very important as it had been accorded World Heritage status. Mabunda said this status placed a lot of pressure on its management, as there were certain conditions to be fulfilled under the World Heritage Convention.

Also in attendance were the Premier of Limpopo Province, Mr Sello Moloto, Limpopo Finance and Economic Development MEC Thaba Mufamadi, Vhembe District Executive Mayor Sam Moeti and other dignitaries.