regional co-operation
12 October 2007
Presidents Festus Mogae of Botswana, Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia and
Thabo Mbeki of South Africa today officially opened the Mata-Mata Tourist
Access Facility between South Africa and Namibia within the Kgalagadi
Transfrontier Park (TFP). On this day seven years and five months ago the
Presidents of Botswana and South Africa opened the Kgalagadi TFP, Africa's
first Transfrontier Park.
Mata-Mata will enable tourists to travel between the three countries via
shorter routes and through efficient and convenient access border control
facilities. It will also see the region benefiting from the 2010 Federation
International Football Association (Fifa) World Cup and foster regional
socio-economic development, because South Africa made a commitment that the
World Cup will be an African event.
Southern Africa's Transfrontier Conservation areas are well positioned as
the premiere international destination to ensure their profitability and
sustainability during 2010 and beyond. Kgalagadi TFP incorporates the Gemsbok
National Park in Botswana and the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South
Africa. It is a popular tourist destination because of its 4x4 wilderness
trails.
Mata-Mata is the second tourist access facility to be opened to ease access
tourist movement in a transfrontier park in southern Africa, after Giriyondo
which links Mozambique and South Africa, within the Great Limpopo TFP. The next
Tourist Access facility, Sendelingsdrift, will be opened on 16 October between
Namibia and South Africa in the !Ai-!Ais/Richtersveld TFP.
The opening of Mata-Mata and Sendelingsdrift Tourist Access Facilities are
key to the strategy for desert tourism which explores the natural linkage
between Kgalagadi and !Ai-!Ais /Richtersveld Transfrontier parks, South
Africa's Augrabies Falls National Park and the soon to be declared Sperrgebiet
National Park in Namibia. The development of Mata-Mata and Sendelingsdrift
Tourist Access Facilities has also been exemplary of successful partnerships
between governments and the private sector.
For more information please contact:
Mava Scott
Acting Chief Director: Communications
Cell: 082 411 9821
E-mail: mscott@deat.gov.za
Tiro Kganela
Principal Public Relations Officer: Botswana
Tel: 267 391 4955 or 267 726 41228
Linda Baker
Communications Officer: Namibia
Tel: 264 6128 42504
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
12 October 2007
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)
