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South African National Parks
Agency overview
Formed	1926
Jurisdiction	Government of South Africa
Headquarters	643 Leyds Street, Muckleneuk, Pretoria; 25°45′59″S 28°12′8″E / 25.76639°S 28.20222°E
Employees	4,027 (permanent); 1,405 (temporary)
Annual budget	R2.046 billion
Minister responsible	Barbara Creecy, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries;
Agency executives	Joanne Yawitch, Chairperson of the Board; Dr. Luthando Dziba, CEO;
Parent agency	Department of Environmental Affairs
Key documents	National Parks Act, 1976; National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003;
Website	www.sanparks.org

South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of 3,751,113 hectares (37,511.13 km²),^[3] over 3% of the total area of South Africa.^[4]^[a]

Many parks offer a variety of accommodations. The best known park is Kruger National Park, which is also the oldest (proclaimed in 1898), and the largest, at nearly 2,000,000 hectares (20,000 km²). Kruger National Park and Table Mountain National Park are two of South Africa's most visited tourist attractions.^[6]

Though not designated as National Parks, other protected areas exist, such as game and nature reserves.

List of parks administered by SANParks

The following are designated as National Parks of South Africa:^[7]

Name	Location	Date established	Area
Addo Elephant National Park	Eastern Cape 33°16′S 25°26′E / 33.26°S 25.44°E / -33.26; 25.44	1931	1,642 km² (634 sq mi)
Agulhas National Park	Western Cape 34°30′S 20°00′E / 34.50°S 20.00°E / -34.50; 20.00	14 September 1998	56.9 km² (22.0 sq mi)
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park Richtersveld National Park (South Africa) Ai-Ais Hot Springs (Namibia)	Northern Cape 28°03′14″S 17°02′05″E / 28.053889°S 17.034722°E / -28.053889; 17.034722	2003 1991 1968	5,920 km² (2,290 sq mi)^[8] 1,624 km² (627 sq mi)^[7] 4,611 km² (1,780 sq mi)^[9]
Augrabies Falls National Park	Northern Cape 28°35′28″S 20°20′18″E / 28.591111°S 20.338333°E / -28.591111; 20.338333	1966	417 km² (161 sq mi)
Bontebok National Park	Western Cape 34°04′00″S 20°27′00″E / 34.066667°S 20.45°E / -34.066667; 20.45	1931	27.9 km² (10.8 sq mi)
Camdeboo National Park	Eastern Cape 32°15′S 24°30′E / 32.25°S 24.5°E / -32.25; 24.5	30 October 2005 1979 (Karoo Nature Reserve)	194 km² (75 sq mi)
Garden Route National Park	Western Cape 34°00′S 23°15′E / 34°S 23.25°E / -34; 23.25	6 March 2009 1985 (Knysna National Lake Area) 1964 (Tsitsikamma National Park) 1985 (Wilderness National Park)	1,210 km² (470 sq mi) (150 km² (58 sq mi)) (639 km² (247 sq mi)) (106 km² (41 sq mi))
Golden Gate Highlands National Park	Free State 28°30′22″S 28°37′00″E / 28.506111°S 28.616667°E / -28.506111; 28.616667	1963	116 km² (45 sq mi)
Karoo National Park	Western Cape 32°21′00″S 22°35′00″E / 32.35°S 22.583333°E / -32.35; 22.583333	1979	831 km² (321 sq mi)
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (South Africa) Gemsbok National Park (Botswana)	Northern Cape 26°28′38″S 20°36′46″E / 26.47716141014315°S 20.61268169075392°E	12 May 2000 31 July 1931 (unknown)	33,551 km² (12,954 sq mi)^[10] 9,591 km² (3,703 sq mi)^[7] 28,000 km² (11,000 sq mi)(est.)
Kruger National Park	Limpopo and Mpumalanga 24°00′41″S 31°29′07″E / 24.011389°S 31.485278°E / -24.011389; 31.485278	31 May 1926^[11]^[12]	19,623 km² (7,576 sq mi)
Mapungubwe National Park	Limpopo 22°12′S 29°24′E / 22.2°S 29.4°E / -22.2; 29.4	1995	53.6 km² (20.7 sq mi)
Marakele National Park	Limpopo 24°24′S 27°36′E / 24.4°S 27.6°E / -24.4; 27.6	11 February 1994 (1994-02-11)^[13]	507 km² (196 sq mi)
Meerkat National Park (Visitors are not allowed)	Northern Cape 30°41′29″S 21°23′24″E / 30.691444°S 21.39°E / -30.691444; 21.39	27 March 2020 (2020-03-27)	1,352.45 km² (522.18 sq mi)
Mokala National Park	Northern Cape 29°10′00″S 24°21′00″E / 29.166667°S 24.35°E / -29.166667; 24.35	19 June 2007	196 km² (76 sq mi)
Mountain Zebra National Park	Eastern Cape 32°11′00″S 25°37′00″E / 32.183333°S 25.616667°E / -32.183333; 25.616667	1937	284 km² (110 sq mi)
Namaqua National Park	Northern Cape 30°02′36″S 17°35′10″E / 30.043333°S 17.586111°E / -30.043333; 17.586111	1999	1,350 km² (520 sq mi)
Table Mountain National Park	Western Cape 33°58′00″S 18°25′30″E / 33.966667°S 18.425°E / -33.966667; 18.425	19 May 1998	243 km² (94 sq mi)
Tankwa Karoo National Park	Northern Cape 32°15′S 19°45′E / 32.25°S 19.75°E / -32.25; 19.75	19 May 1986	1,216 km² (470 sq mi)
West Coast National Park	Western Cape 33°07′15″S 18°04′00″E / 33.120833°S 18.066667°E / -33.120833; 18.066667	1985	363 km² (140 sq mi)

Location of national parks

Notes

^ Groenkloof and Graspan/Vaalbos are declared national parks in legislation but are not operationally functional national parks.^[5]

References

^ South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
^ South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
^ South Africa National Parks. "Brief History". SANParks. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
^ South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
^ South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16 (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
^ "National Parks Tourism Income Breaks the Half-a-billion Rand Barrier". Siyabona Africa. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "About Us: Nature's Best!". South African National Parks. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
^ "/Ai /Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park". Peace Parks Foundation. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
^ "/Ai-/Ais Hot Springs Game Park". Ministry of Environment and Tourism Namibia. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^ "Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park". Peace Parks Foundation. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^ House of Assembly Debates, cols 4366-81, 31 May 1926.
^ Stevenson-Hamilton, James (1993). South African Eden: The Kruger National Park 1902–1946. Struik Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86825-343-2.
^ "Marakele NP" (PDF).