Popular National Park reopens to the public after severe flood damage

Bontebok National Park is recovering after devastating Breede River floods caused an estimated R12.3 million in damage, with several visitor facilities now reopened.

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister David Maynier visited the park on Saturday, 29 August, to assess progress following severe flooding in the Western Cape in May.

The flooding caused extensive damage to the park, including several chalets and the picnic site. The main access road to the accommodation area was also almost completely destroyed.

Access road repaired

Maynier praised the SANParks management team for its quick response when the Breede River rose rapidly.

The team was forced to evacuate guests and rescue furnishings as floodwaters threatened the accommodation area.

“Given the rate at which the river rose, the team had to act quickly to safely evacuate guests and save some of the park’s furnishings,” Maynier said.

The main access road has since been repaired, with additional reinforcement incorporated into the rehabilitation project.

Large amounts of debris deposited by the floodwaters have also been cleared from the accommodation area.

Chalets and hiking trails reopen

Despite the scale of the damage, visitors are already returning to parts of the park.

Six chalets, the campsite and three hiking trails have reopened.

The trails currently available to visitors are:

• Aloe Hill
• Acacia
• Termite

Repair work is continuing on the remaining chalets, as well as the Bushbuck and Ou Tuin trails and the picnic site.

Minister urges tourists to visit

Maynier has encouraged visitors to return to the national park while the recovery continues.

“While there is still much work to be done, the park is open and is well worth a visit this beautiful part of the Western Cape,” he said.

The minister said the department looked forward to seeing the park continue to strengthen as the remaining repairs are completed and new visitor offerings become available.

The reopening marks a significant step in the recovery of Bontebok National Park following one of its most damaging flood events in recent years.