There is no truth to a rumour that has resurfaced regarding the relocation of the Kruger National Park's (KNP) head office from Skukuza to Phalaborwa.
This is according to KNP spokesperson, Raymond Travers, when asked to respond to this claim. Raymond says the KNP senior management met with the Phalaborwa Chamber of Commerce on the issue, two years ago. The meeting came as a result of the Chamber's written request to the minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, to move the entire head office function from Skukuza to Phalaborwa.
"We understand that Phalaborwa needs to attract more people and businesses as result of the town's mining operations being scaled down [at the time], but at this stage there is no decision in this regard and the status quo is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future," said Kruger's head of communication, William Mabasa in an erlier statement on the matter.
Kruger did establish a regional office for the northern region of the park in 2001 and this office was moved from Letaba to Phalaborwa gate in January 2004. The new Phalaborwa office complex, which also accommodates the KNP conservation and scientific services regional staff as well as the Ndlovu node of the Southern African Environmental Observation Network (Saeon) and the regional co-ordinator of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, was completed last year.
