Category: English

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), Dean Macpherson, has welcomed the appointment of Alford Sifiso Nsibande as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) following Cabinet approval on 23 September 2026. 

“Nsibande has served as Acting CEO of the IDT since 4 November 2025. The process to appoint a permanent CEO commenced in February 2026 following the resignation of the previous suspended CEO,” the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said in a statement on Tuesday.

The department said  Nsibande, working alongside the IDT Board of Trustees, had overseen significant improvements in the organisation’s financial and operational position while he was the Acting CEO.

“In the 2025/26 financial year, the IDT’s confirmed order book has grown from R2 billion to R6 billion, while its cash on hand has tripled from a position in which the organisation was facing severe financial constraints,” the department said.

The IDT also delivered a strong performance in the same period, completing 279 social infrastructure facilities against a target of 244.

In a statement, the Board of Trustees of IDT said Nsibande’s appointment is effective 1 October 2026, following the successful conclusion of a comprehensive and competitive recruitment and selection process.

“The appointment of our new CEO comes at a critical stage for the entity. Mr Nsibande’s leadership as Acting CEO has already resulted in tangible improvements in the organisation, and his successful track record at CIDB, particularly in delivering a clean audit, gives us every confidence that the IDT is on the path to achieving similar results,”  said Zimbini Hill, Chairperson of the IDT Board of Trustees.

An entity of the DPWI, the IDT is a built environment project management agency which manages and delivers integrated public infrastructure programmes.
– SAnews.gov.za

 

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The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, through the National Language Service Chief Directorate, joins the world in celebrating International Translation Day (ITD).

The celebration offers an opportunity to draw attention to the importance of language practitioners, especially translators, terminologists and interpreters, whose invaluable contribution to communication often remains unacknowledged and unknown.

ITD acknowledges the contribution of not only translators but also language practitioners in general to bridging the communication divide across various languages and cultures.

This year’s celebration is under the theme: “Linguistic Diversity and Language Rights,” with the subtitle: “The power of being understood”.

Among others, the theme highlights the fundamental role of translation, interpreting and terminology in fostering inclusion, equity and participation in an increasingly interconnected world.

“The role of translation and language practice in general is invaluable in fostering social cohesion and promoting nation-building by ensuring that communities access quality governmental information and services irrespective of the language they speak, and in turn, they are enabled to hold government accountable,” the department said.

The actual day, 30 September, was selected for the celebration because it is the feast day of St Jerome, a Christian scholar and priest who was the first person to translate the Bible into Latin from the original Hebrew.

St. Jerome has long been considered the patron saint of translators and interpreters throughout the world. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Sudan’s leaders to urgently address outstanding challenges ahead of the country’s first general elections since attaining independence, stressing that credible elections must be underpinned by an inclusive political process.

President Ramaphosa was speaking on Tuesday at the Summit of the African Union Committee on South Sudan (C5) Plus, which brought together leaders and representatives to discuss the political and security situation in South Sudan and preparations for elections later this year.

South Sudan gained independence in July 2011. The country is expected to hold its elections in December 2026.

He said the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan remained the only internationally recognised framework for implementing the country’s political transition.

“We know that elections on their own are not a sufficient guarantor of peace and democracy.

“Holding credible elections must be preceded and accompanied by a genuine, inclusive political process, bolstered by security arrangements and protection of electoral staff and civilians,” he said in the virtual meeting.

The President said the electoral process also requires a clear legal framework, adequate financing and capable institutional and operational capacity.

He urged South Sudan’s leaders to use the current period to overcome their differences and address the challenges facing the country.

“Inclusive dialogue is a vital guarantor of the future of South Sudan and its peoples. We call on the leaders of South Sudan to seize this moment to come together despite their differences to discuss the problems and challenges that stand in the way of their advancement as a nation,” the President said. 

President Ramaphosa said the call came amid significant developments in South Sudan over the past week, including the dissolution of the Transitional Government on 22 September 2026, amendments to the National Elections Act of 2012 and the commencement of the Inter-Party Political Dialogue on 24 September 2026.

“These developments take place against the backdrop of preparations for the first general elections since attaining independence,” the President said. 

He said the C5 Plus looked forward to receiving further information from South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the impact of these developments.

The President also welcomed the appointment of former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete as the African Union (AU) High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.

“Your Excellency President Kikwete, we wish you well as you deploy your extensive expertise and considerable energies to assist the government and the people of South Sudan,” he said. 

President Ramaphosa also acknowledged the work of the AU’s technical pre-election and needs assessment mission, which visited Juba from 23 to 28 August 2026 under the leadership of former Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.

He said the AU Member States wished the people of South Sudan well as they prepare to go to the polls.

The President stressed that AU Member States had a collective responsibility to support South Sudan in overcoming its challenges and advancing its national vision of unity, peace and prosperity.

He said the C5 Plus was ready to support South Sudanese leaders and citizens as they worked towards lasting peace.

“As the parties to this Summit, we stand ready with our support, counsel and solidarity as the leaders and people of South Sudan continue along their journey.”

“The people of South Sudan must know that they do not stand alone. Their peace is our peace, their stability is our stability and their success is our success,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) Minister Parks Tau says South Africa’s efforts to enhance financial integrity and combat money laundering will be implemented through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) beneficial ownership register and inter-agency collaboration.

Tau was speaking at the launch of the Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Module for Law Enforcement Agencies hosted on Tuesday in Pretoria.

According to Tau, the new model will expose ownership links and make tracing easier for law enforcement officials.

“The companies that the CIPC registers can be abused by people who set them up for the wrong reasons. Shell structures, layered ownership, chains of entities designed so that no one can tell who is really in charge. 

“The answer to secrecy is visibility. Under this new module, accredited users from law enforcement agencies get beneficial ownership information in real time, twenty-four hours a day, without obstruction. They can view the supporting documents and download them,” Tau said.

Tau said explained that the purpose is to end a culture of disregard for accountability and transparency, and to stop financial crime in its tracks.

“With the upgrade, investigators can take a single director and see every other entity that person is linked to, active or inactive. They can take an entity under investigation and connect it to every other entity in the CIPC database, not only those on the beneficial ownership register,” he said.

Tau said the dtic will keep working to build a culture of transparency and accountability among corporate citizens. 

He said government will keep the country off the grey list, and make South Africa a place where no one can hide behind a company.

“We are held to a higher standard, and we chose to be. We meet that standard by working together with Treasury, the CIPC, South African Revenue Service, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority and the private sector, and we give that cooperation its force by putting good data in the hands of the people who fight financial crime,” added Tau.

Speaking at the same launch, the CIPC Commissioner Advocate Rory Voller said collaboration is important to have much greater breakthroughs against financial crime.

“A new cycle of mutual evaluation is ahead of us where the effectiveness report is due on 19 October 2026 to Financial Action Task Force. 

“This is saying, let us take advantage of the tools we have and the availability of this newly upgraded Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Module to achieve even more successful investigations and prosecutions and mitigate the risk of money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing,” said Voller.

Since the register opened on 1 April 2023, the CPIC has received more than three million beneficial ownership filings, covering local and international owners. It has concluded more than 618 investigations,and it has issued more than 350 compliance notices to entities that did not comply, or that tried to abuse the system with false supporting information. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Police are investigating the seizure of approximately 40 kilograms of suspected cannabis (dagga) transported in a vehicle belonging to a park concessionaire at the Kruger National Park.

Security discovered the dagga during ongoing access control at Malelane Gate last Sunday. 

“The discovery was made as part of ongoing security and access control measures aimed at safeguarding the park and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

“The suspected cannabis was confiscated, and the matter was immediately handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation and processing. The South African National Parks (SANParks) is cooperating fully with SAPS as they pursue the matter.” 

In a statement on Wednesday, SANParks said it maintains a zero-tolerance approach to any unlawful activities within its national parks and associated operations and remains committed to supporting law enforcement efforts to combat criminal activity.

“As the matter is now under SAPS investigation, SANParks will not comment further at this stage.” –SAnews.gov.za

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A 46-year-old woman is expected to appear in the Protea Glen Magistrates Court this morning, following her arrest in Gauteng during a multi-disciplinary, prosecution-led takedown on Tuesday.

According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, the woman faces charges of fraud, racketeering, corruption and contravention of the Immigration Act.

During December 2021, the Gauteng DPCI Serious Organised Crime Investigation, based in Germiston, working in concert with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Anti-Corruption unit based in Head Office, and the National Prosecuting Authority with its Asset Forfeiture Unit, received information that a foreign national was colluding with Home Affairs officials to obtain fraudulent South African passports.

Following the complaint, a modus operandi was compiled, and an investigation was launched.

“Preliminary investigations confirmed that officials from DHA and vulnerable South African citizens were recruited, then paired with foreign nationals they photo-swopped and left personal details to legitimise the document,” the Hawks said ahead of Wednesday, 30 September’s court appearance.

“The DHA officials were paid between R10 000 and R15 000 per application while South Africans were paid R500 whilst the foreign nationals were charged between R50 000 and R100 000. 

The team registered a project dubbed “Project Humulani” on 12 April 2022, which included cases registered in Krugersdorp, Kliptown, Fairlands and Tubatse as well as an enquiry in Germiston.

“The investigation continued under the project and bore fruit wherein, for two cases, Krugersdorp and Fairlands, the alleged kingpin was successfully traced, arrested, convicted and sentenced to 14 years’ direct imprisonment,” the Hawks said. 

During the project, three Toyota Fortuner SUVs were seized, and several hundred passports were blocked and cancelled. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of severe thunderstorms accompanied by heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning in Gauteng, central to eastern parts of North West, and central to western parts of Limpopo on Wednesday.

These weather conditions are likely to cause localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges, as well as localised damage to settlements and infrastructure.

“Damaging winds resulting in localised damage to settlements, disruption to beachfront activities and difficulty in navigation are expected over the Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City District Municipalities, as well as the Ndlambe, Nqgushwa and Sundays River Valley Local Municipalities,” SAWS said.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Matzikama Municipality in the Western Cape, as well as the Cederberg, Bergrivier and Kamiesberg municipalities.

The weather outlook for Thursday and Friday indicates partly cloudy and cool conditions, with isolated showers and thundershowers possible over the eastern and western parts of the country.

The public and stakeholders are strongly urged to monitor official SAWS forecasts and warnings, as updates will be issued when the likelihood and severity of the impacts become clearer.

The public is also advised to avoid unauthorised or unverified information sources and refrain from sharing unverified information. –SAnews.gov.za

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The African Union Committee on South Sudan (C5) Plus Summit has adopted a Declaration setting out a range of measures to support peace, political stability and credible elections in South Sudan.

The Declaration, adopted at the Summit chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday, reaffirms the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan as the paramount legal instrument governing the country’s political transition. 

Closing the Summit, President Ramaphosa said the Declaration sets out a number of recommendations aimed at addressing the challenges facing South Sudan as it prepares for national elections.

“We have agreed that the Revitalised Peace Agreement remains the paramount legal instrument with which all parties must comply and by which progress in South Sudan will be measured,” he said in his virtual address.

Among the recommendations is a call for all parties to fully comply with the provisions of the Revitalised Peace Agreement and demonstrate their commitment to its implementation.

The Declaration also calls on all parties to immediately cease hostilities, uphold the Permanent Ceasefire and refrain from unilateral measures that could undermine the peace agreement.

On the political environment, the Summit called for the release of persons arbitrarily detained on political grounds, while respecting South Sudan’s sovereignty and judicial processes.

It further called for guarantees on the rights, humane treatment and due process of persons facing judicial proceedings, with the aim of contributing to an inclusive political environment.

The Declaration also sets out measures aimed at strengthening preparations for South Sudan’s elections that are set to be held in December 2026.

The Summit called on the Government of South Sudan to adopt a feasible, consensual and time-bound electoral roadmap that clearly sets out the legal basis, scope and sequencing of elections.

It also called for predictable, adequate and timely domestic financial resources to be provided to electoral and transitional institutions to enable credible preparations.

The government was further urged to address the political, legal, technical, operational, financial and security requirements necessary for a peaceful, credible, inclusive and transparent electoral process.

The Declaration also places emphasis on the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel.

It calls on all parties to protect civilians, humanitarian and medical personnel and United Nations peacekeepers, while ensuring safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected communities.

It further calls for accountability for attacks against peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel.

Supporting South Sudan

The Summit also outlined a role for regional and continental institutions in supporting South Sudan.

It recommended that the African Union, the C5 and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) coordinate voluntary and needs-based technical assistance in support of the electoral process and implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement.

President Ramaphosa also called on international partners to provide coordinated support to South Sudan, while stressing that national ownership must remain central to the implementation of the agreed measures.

“Primary responsibility for the implementation of the agreed measures rests with the government and parties of South Sudan. The support of the C5, the African Union and international partners must reinforce South Sudanese national ownership and respond to clearly identified priorities,” the President said. 

The Declaration comes as South Sudan prepares for its first general elections since attaining independence in July 2011, amid ongoing efforts to implement the Revitalised Peace Agreement. 

President Ramaphosa said the Summit’s objective was to help accompany South Sudan through a critical period as it works towards peace, stability and democracy.

“Peace, stability and prosperity for South Sudan are aspirations we all share. For democracy to take hold in South Sudan, its leaders must demonstrate genuine commitment to inclusivity, peace and national reconciliation,” the President said.

He said the implementation of the measures agreed by the Summit could help South Sudan strengthen its institutions and democratic practice.

“Only then can South Sudan begin in earnest to build its institutions, strengthen democratic practice and build a unified nation,” the President said.

In his opening address at the Summit earlier, President Cyril Ramaphosa called on South Sudan’s leaders to urgently address outstanding challenges ahead of the elections, stressing that credible elections must be underpinned by an inclusive political process.

READ | Call for inclusive political process ahead of South Sudanese elections
– SAnews.gov.za

 

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For Kelebogile Boleu, becoming a mother also meant becoming a student who had to learn a new language and how to advocate for a child whose experience of the world is different from her own.

“I don’t know what it is like to have a son who is not Deaf. He is my firstborn and the person who introduced me to parenting. It has been a remarkable calling and I am grateful to be trusted to be his parent,” Boleu, who is a lecturer at the University of the Free State (UFS), said.

Like most children, soon-to-be 11-year-old Nathanael is a handful.

“He has always been a handful. He is very confident and very courageous. I enjoy how independent he is now and how he can be placed in any room, and he will not feel small, but he will take up that space and make it his own,” the 36-year-old mother of two said in an interview with SAnews.

She described her son as competitive and kind, recalling an incident when one of his classmates came to school with a damaged bag and how her son came home, washed one of his older school bags and gave it to the classmate.

“To this day, he does not remind his friend or talk about it at home, and that is the character I enjoy most about him – helping quietly. I hope he does not change,” she says of her son who she affectionately refers to as “Nate.”

Boleu’s comments come as the country commemorates Deaf Awareness Month, in September. Deaf Awareness Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the rights, experiences and aspirations of Deaf people and to promote greater understanding of the importance of sign language.

According to the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), an estimated 600 000 people in the country are Deaf.

This year’s Deaf Awareness Month is marked under the theme “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights.” 
 
Prior to the birth of Nate, neither Boleu nor her husband had a family member who was hard of hearing or Deaf. She had an “easy” pregnancy with nothing of his development being flagged.

“I flagged it when he was just older than two years. I took him to a speech therapist who gave us activities to do, which were mostly what we did at home: reading, puzzles, singing and so on. But it took two different opinions until I landed on a speech therapist who is also an audiologist. 

“The very first assessment she highlighted that Nate did not have a speech problem but a hearing problem, and so the testing and hearing aids came until we landed on SASL [South African Sign Language],” she explained.

Hearts project
Boleu, who is a lecturer at the university’s Department of Criminology and a PhD student, said she tries her best to advocate for her children’s rights while empowering them to do the same.  

She started the Hearts project, where parents can learn SASL and children can improve their reading skills.

“I write a lot of opinion pieces about Deaf education, and through that and recognising the barriers in education that exist for Deaf children, I began a project called Hearts where parents can learn SASL and children can improve their reading skills. My current academic work is centred around Deaf Rights; with for PhD, my research is titled: “Exploring procedural justice for Deaf people in the South African criminal justice system: From arrest to corrections,” she said.

Hearts was initially formed with Nate’s education and the related challenges in mind.

“But I also realised that for him, reading would be his most important route in terms of access, to be able to read and write, which is a global issue, which can be solved through intentional reading development opportunities.

“Speaking to other parents, I also realised we are different because Nate comes home to a family that signs, which creates an environment of being and relationship. I soon realised this is not the common experience. Many parents struggle to sign,” explained the 36-year-old.

Because many parents struggled to sign, it was difficult for them to help their children with homework. Maintaining meaningful conversations and relationships with Deaf children in their families also became difficult, leaving some Deaf children feeling isolated.

Boleu then consulted a friend and colleague in the South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies Department at UFS. She also consulted another friend and colleague in the university’s library department.

“I knew they were both passionate about their work, and they are practical in how they help communities. So, I asked them to help the community of Deaf learners and their parents; this is how the collaboration began.

“They both put their time and resources, and I gathered up the troops – all the parents and children I could find, who have remained consistent in attending and learning. The improvement in their signing has been remarkable. I am encouraged and inspired by the Hearts community,” she says of the initiative.

Nathanael began using SASL when he was six, learning to sign fluently in three months. 

Boleu’s own introduction to SASL came during a year of her undergraduate studies. She admits that she is still “very intimidated” by first-language SASL speakers. 

“I am still trying to catch up. My daughter and I, with a few close friends, had a few months of formal lessons. We now sign at home and learn as we go, through engaging with Nate. My daughter also attends the Hearts project, so through learning how to read in SASL, her signing has advanced far beyond mine. Our interaction with the Deaf community is really the biggest influence on all our SASL learning.”

She added that SASL is not an easy language to learn.

“My broader family and friends do their best, but it is not an easy language to learn, nor is it a widely used language, so learning should be intentional and practising is essential.”

Capacity building 
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the recognition of South African Sign Language as one of the country’s official languages in July 2023. Since that recognition, PanSALB has continued to support its practical implementation through awareness and capacity-building programmes. 

These include basic SASL workshops for frontline service workers and for parents, siblings and families of Deaf children; the verification and authentication of SASL signs and dictionary vocabulary in consultation with diverse Deaf stakeholders; and ongoing advocacy during Deaf Awareness Month.

In a statement earlier this month, PanSALB said plans to establish a dedicated SASL National Lexicography Unit are also underway. 

“These initiatives are intended to ensure that the official recognition of SASL results in meaningful access to information, public services and full participation in society for Deaf people,” said PanSALB.

Boleu said while the enactment of SASL as the country’s 12th official language is a start, more needs to be done.

“I think SASL being an official language is a start, the efforts towards interpreters and other accommodations in the effort to reduce barriers and allow access to services. However, there can be a better sense of inclusion, knowledge sharing, and practical applications of intentions. Policy and legislation need to be practical.”

Asked about what Nate would like the world to know about Deaf people, in her view, she said that they are people and barriers exist structurally, but these should not take from their livelihoods, their experiences of life and success.

“He would say that he and his friends are just kids, and they enjoy being able to take part in the same activities as other children. My son loves people and enjoys life, and would want everyone to see, experience, and know that.”

She added that a Deaf child is a blessing just as any child is.

“Deafness or any disability, though not an easy road, is a call to parent, a call to love, a call to be intentional about the life you’ve been called to guide and shape.”

Pride in Deaf culture 
Boleu urged parents to learn SASL, adding that the Deaf community is proud of its culture.

“I encourage you to learn SASL. Create an environment for your child to feel a sense of belonging that begins at home in their household through their people. Learn and meet the Deaf community around you. Lean on their experiences and see your child through their brilliance, excellence and courage. 

“The Deaf community is one that is proud of their culture, their language and welcoming to those who engage with them, accept them and allow their Deaf children to be who they are born to be,” she explained.
Asked about the lessons she’s learned in her journey of parenthood, Boleu said parents of Deaf children are no different from other parents.

“We are simply doing what parents have always done: loving intentionally, learning continuously and hoping fiercely. I love my son, and I cannot imagine him to be anyone but who he is. He has created a better human in me, as has my daughter,” she said. –SAnews.gov.za

 

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Losing her car and other belongings was not at the top of Mpho Mudau’s list of priorities on 15 January 2026, when the river burst its banks at the South African National Parks (SANParks) Letaba Rest Camp in Limpopo.

“It was at about 8am on 15 January 2026, when we realised that the river had broken its banks. It started at the restaurant, which is one of the main areas where people were sitting around and having their breakfast.

“One of my managers called me because I was in the office and said: ‘Come quickly, the river has broken its banks’. I had to go and see for myself. Immediately, I thought, no, let’s evacuate the camp; we need to leave. I immediately informed reception to take out the list for in-house guests for everyone around this big camp,” Mudau recalls of the day. 

In an interview with SAnews, Mudau, the Hospitality Services Manager at the camp, said the disaster team collected guests from the occupied units scattered across the camp.

“Some of the guests were resisting, saying the water won’t reach here, and we said no, we’re leaving the camp, so you need to make sure that you pack out your things and we leave,” the petite Mudau explains. 

Despite the chalets being scattered across the camp, the team managed to evacuate it in 45 minutes.

“The water was flowing very strongly. It was like the sea, and you could actually see the waves in the water,” she said as we stood in the middle of the camp. The overcast weather during the interview helped to paint a picture of what it must have been like on that day.

This was as parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga were lashed by heavy rains in January. Floodwaters submerged areas of the camp, leading to its closure to tourists.  Letaba, which is located in the Nxanatseni region, was one of the worst affected areas, with extensive damage to tourism facilities, engineering services and perimeter fencing.

However, reconstruction work at the camp has since resulted in the restoration of some tourism units, with SANParks earlier this month marking the start of National Parks Week with the handover of tourism units and the official opening of the Letaba High Water Bridge.

“So, at the highest place we could all meet was here, where we were standing, and the water was taking the furniture outside the camp,” she recalls. 

Getting to safety
At the time, there were about 15 guests staying in the camp while others had already gone home given the adverse weather in the area. In addition, over 80 staff members call the camp home.

“At the time, I didn’t care about anything else; the only thing I cared about was saving lives, making sure that the guests were safe and the staff were safe. So, the material things, we said no, leave them behind, let’s go.

“I lost everything, even my car. My car just came back last month [August], since [it was taken in for repair work] in January. Its sensors were out; everything was out, and my house was under water. That is my house, “she said,  pointing   to a nearby house with a green roof not too far from where we were standing.
“I forgot about my car at the time,” she laughs. 

Mudau, who turns 45 this year, studied Hospitality Services at Wits and has worked at Letaba for about 13 years. She has also worked at other camps in the Kruger National Park (KNP).

Extent of the damage
Recalling the events of January 2026, SANParks Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hapiloe Sello said that while management knew the rains were coming, it did not know their severity.

“On the day that Letaba was flooded, I was getting updates initially every hour, then it became every 15 minutes. Truly, the emotions were mixed; I was frightened and concerned, to be honest. The thing was, is everybody safe? That has to be the first thing you think about before you think about the infrastructure. 

“Then something peculiar happened: in 2000 there was a flood, and if you drive around Kruger National Park you’ll see markers that say 2000 flood. That was the worst that had hit Kruger. Then the Letaba River surpassed the 2000 mark; that’s when I knew we were in serious trouble. Be that as it may, the first concern was the people,” she said of the marker seen near river at the Letaba camp. 

Remarkably, not a single life was lost, with Sello adding that much of this was due to the team’s preparedness and the park’s own disaster management capability.

The rains caused substantial damage to infrastructure in the KNP, including roads, accommodation, and water-related infrastructure, with the total cost of the repairs estimated at R950 million. 

Restoration journey 
At Letaba, 25 tourism units in Circles A to C have been restored at a cost of R19 million. The completed work includes furniture and 10 family cottages. A further 64 tourism units remain under restoration and are expected to reopen in phases, with completion anticipated by 30 November 2026.

The bridge was opened to traffic on 23 March 2026, reconnecting the northern and southern sections of Kruger. Final work, including sand sealing of the road, was completed on 28 August 2026.

SANParks said the R9.5 million project included the reconstruction and stone pitching of the damaged bridge approach, together with improved drainage.

SANParks also recently officially opened rebuilt culverts on the H4-1 Road in the Kruger National Park’s Skukuza Rest Camp. The redesigned culverts have been reinforced with concrete.

Sello said it took about a month for the floodwaters to subside.

The January floods were not Mudau’s first experience of flooding, as she has been working at the KNP “literally from school.”

“I love this park; this is not the first flood I was in. There was the 2013 flood up in Shingwedzi which I was in as well, but you manage to get everything in order,” she said.

She rates the Mopani and Shingwedzi Rest Camps among her favourites in the KNP network.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment David Maynier said he is “hugely impressed” by SANParks’ response to the floods.

“In under a year, the KNP top management have managed to open a major piece of infrastructure, the Letaba High Water Bridge joining the north and the south of the Kruger National Park and the opening of the first 25 chalets which have been reconstructed with a wonderful new, modern feel which I think is going to contribute to a much better guest experience here,” the Minister said.

Maynier, who visited one of the upgraded units within the rest camp, said he loved the new design of the chalets.

“I think the team has got the design just right.”

Looking ahead
Maynier added that the KNP is a special place.

“As a young boy, I spent a lot of time in the park with my family and also with my aunts, and so it is a very special place. What I think we need to recognise is that the park is responding with more modern infrastructure, very different guest experiences, and I think the park is going from strength to strength, and it really is the crown jewel in the SANParks portfolio,” he said.

He said the next step for the KNP is ensuring that Phase 2 of the reconstruction, particularly of the Letaba Rest Camp, is completed by November 2026.

“That is the next big test, but everything tells me that the team are on track – the contractors are working seven days a week, often through the night, and I think we are on track to complete Phase 2 of the project and Letaba Rest Camp will be fully open for the festive season,” he said.

Mudau said while the camp is busy throughout the year, international guests mainly visit in August and September thanks to European holidays. She added that the camp also sees increased foot traffic during the Easter Holidays as well as during National Parks Week which is typically held in September annually, during which day visitors gain free access to participating national parks.

Tourism and conservation
As the country moves to the end of Tourism Month, which is commemorated annually in September, Mudau expressed her love for her work and for nature.

“I love the park and I love nature.  I left the Joburg life, but from there, conservation and tourism have been one of my loves,” she said as she smiled. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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