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Tears, pride and hope filled the air at Skukuza Rest Camp on Friday as government, SANParks and claimant communities signed the historic Kruger National Park Beneficiation Scheme Framework Agreement.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp described the agreement as a major step towards correcting historical injustices suffered by communities who were removed from their land when the Kruger National Park was established.
The ceremony took place just a day before the park’s centenary celebrations, marking 100 years of one of Africa’s most famous conservation areas.
Aucamp said the agreement transforms a painful chapter in South Africa’s history into a story of resilience and restoration.
“Today, we turn the often-sensitive matter of land into a story of victory and resilience. Land is more than just the soil and rocks beneath our feet. It represents bloodlines, legacy and heritage,” he said.
Land claims linked to the Kruger National Park were lodged in the early 2000s. In 2008, the Cabinet recognised the park as a strategic national asset while also supporting the need for fair redress for affected communities.
Negotiations towards the beneficiation agreement officially started in 2012.
Aucamp admitted that the process had been long and painful, with some community members passing away before seeing the outcome.
“Whilst there have been delays, disagreements and legitimate concerns raised by communities, these were not signs of failure. It was a journey of transforming systems that were never designed for all peoples into inclusive systems built on respect and heritage,” he said.
The Beneficiation Scheme aims to ensure communities with successful land claims benefit from economic opportunities created through tourism and conservation activities linked to the park.
According to the Minister, conservation must benefit both nature and people.
“This Beneficiation Scheme affirms that conservation must deliver value not only for biodiversity, but for people,” he said.
He stressed that South Africa’s future conservation model should place communities at the centre.
“The future of conservation in South Africa is one of inclusive stewardship. A model where communities are partners, not spectators. Where benefits are shared. Where development and biodiversity protection reinforce each other.”
Looking ahead to the next 100 years of the Kruger National Park, Aucamp said conservation could no longer reflect the past exclusions.
“It cannot look like the past. It must be a future where conservation is legitimate because it is inclusive,” he said.
He called on SANParks to ensure that the promises made under the agreement translate into real improvements in people’s lives.
“The credibility of this initiative will depend on delivery and partnership with these previously dispossessed communities,” he added.
The agreement forms part of broader efforts to balance conservation, land restitution and economic transformation while ensuring communities living closest to protected areas share in their benefits.
