South Africa’s Bontebok National Park is welcoming visitors again after severe May flooding damaged accommodation, trails and the main access road to its lodging area.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment estimates repairs will total R12.3 million. Six chalets, the campsite and the Aloe Hill, Acacia and Termite trails have reopened. Work continues on remaining chalets, two trails and the picnic site.
The Breede River rose rapidly during the flood, forcing staff to evacuate guests and protect furnishings. The reconstructed access road includes stronger reinforcement, while crews have removed substantial debris from the accommodation area.
Rebuilding for the next extreme event
The reopening is good news for visitors and the local tourism economy, but the larger test is whether repairs reduce future vulnerability. Replacing what was lost without accounting for more severe rainfall would leave the park exposed to the same pattern of damage.
Sources: South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and SAnews.
Featured image: bontebok at Helderberg Nature Reserve, Cape Town, by Abu Shawka; representative species image. CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication. License and source.
