No changes have been made to the name of the Kruger National Park, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has confirmed.
The Minister has not approved any changes to the name. Further, no notice has been published in the Government Gazette and there is nothing in progress to change the name of the Kruger National Park.
In terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003, only the Minister has the legal authority to assign or amend the name of a national park.
Schedule 2 of the Act lists all national parks and their official names, and Kruger National Park appears under Item 11.
Any proposed name change must follow a formal legislative process, including public consultation and publication of a notice in the Government Gazette. No such process has been initiated.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment called on all individuals and entities to refrain from promoting or repeating unverified claims about name changes.
“Spreading misinformation undermines public confidence and distracts from the real work of conservation. Members of the public are encouraged to rely solely on official government communications for accurate information,” the department said. - SAnews.gov.za
