The History of

SOUTH AFRICAN
NATIONAL PARKS
Modern-day SANParks has a long and complex history dating over a century. Below is a timeline of the key events in the Organisation’s history.

1898

The establishment of Sabie Game Reserve

(Precursor to the modern-day Kruger National Park)

1926 1903

The formation of the National Parks Board The establishment of the Shingwedzi Game Reserve

1926 1931

The merger of Sabie and Shingwedzi Game Reserves to Kalahari Gemsbok National Park is proclaimed
form the Kruger National Park (Precursor to modern-day Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park)

1931 1931

Bontebok National Park is proclaimed The proclamation of Addo Elephant National Park 

1937 1963

Mountain Zebra National Park is proclaimed The proclamation of Golden Gate Highlands National Park

1966 1964

The proclamation of Augrabies Falls National Park  Tsitsikamma National Park is proclaimed

1979 1985

Karoo National Park is proclaimed The proclamation of West Coast National Park 

1986 1986

Vaalbos National Park is proclaimed The proclamation of Tankwa Karoo National Park
The park was de-proclaimed in 2002 due to a
successful land claim being officially gazetted.

1987 1991

Wilderness National Park is proclaimed Richtersveld National Park is proclaimed as South Africa’s
first contractual national park

1994 1994

Marakele National Park is proclaimed (originally as South Africa’s first democratic elections
Kransberg National Park)

1995 1998

The proclamation of Vhembe Dongola National Park Mavuso Msimang becomes the first black CEO of the
(precursor to Mapungubwe National Park) current SANParks

1998 1998

Evolution of National Parks Board into Cape Peninsula National Park proclaimed – renamed Table
South African National Parks – which was Mountain National Park in 2003
later to start using the acronym SANParks,
that we all know and use today. 

1999 2000

Namaqua National Park is proclaimed Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (South Africa) and
Gemsbok National Park (Botswana) merged into a
functional Transfrontier Park renamed Kgalagadi
Transfrontier Park

2004 2003

Vhembe Dongola renamed Mapungubwe National Park Ai-Ais Hot Springs and Fish River Canyon (Namibia) and
Richtersveld National Park merged into a functional
transfrontier Park known as |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld
Transfrontier Park

2005 2007

Camdeboo National Park proclaimed evolving out of Mokala National Park is established
the Karoo Nature Reserve (established in 1979)

2009

The Garden Route National Park is established by

amalgamating the existing Tsitsikamma and Wilderness
National Parks, the Knysna National Lake Area and
various other areas of state-owned land, some of which is
indigenous forest, and others mountain fynbos in
catchment areas.