Namibia: Major upgrade projects in Etosha National Park and Hardap National Park! [update #2]

update (07 August 2024): According to the Executive Director of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Teofilus Nghitila, as quoted in the online edition of "New Era",  nearly N$50 million will be used during this financial year to revamp the three major entrance gates to Etosha, as well as ablution facilities and other infrastructure of the ministry in the Hardap region.

update (06 August 2024): According to the Executive Director of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Teofilus Nghitila, as quoted by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the new entry park gates, such as the Ombika gate, are also receiving facelifts and are expected to be completed by September 2024.

The Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has announced that it is currently engaged in the renovation of three of the four main entrance gates to Etosha National Park. Anderson Gate on the southern end of the National Park, Von Lidquist Gate in the east and King Nehale Lya Mpingana Gate is in the northern end of Etosha National Park will receive a total face lift. Renovations have already started at Anderson Gate. The MEFT further announced that in addition to the three entrance gates, eight sanitation facilites will be upgraded to "comfort stops", consisting of toilets, picnic areas, information displays, viewing platforms and adequate parking areas. All facilities will be safely enclosed. The eight sanitation facilities are Olifantsbad, Homob, Thatch Roof, Okerfontein, Andoni, Sprokieswood, Springbokfontein and Sonderkop. Two new "comfort stops" will be contructed at the M'Bari waterhole (Ozonjuitji m'Bari), located along the road between Okaukuejo Rest Camp and Dolomite Camp.
The entire renovation project in Etosha National Park is expected to be completed by July 2025 and to cost N$40.7 million.

Hardap National Park in Namibia's southern Hardap Region will also receive a face lift. According to the MEFT, the three existing entrance gates to the National Park (Main Gate, Fish Route Gate and Game Park Gate), as well as two existing ablution facilities or picnic spots (Lorralei (Lorelei?) and Bakvis) will be upgraded. In addition, four new ablution and picnic spots will get constructed.
The entire renovation project in Hardap National Park is expected to cost N$7.2 million.

Both projects are financed by the Government of Namibia (NamParks V Project) and co-financed by the Goverment of Germany (KfW Bank). [src.]

South Africa: Kruger National Park flood repair update

South Africa's Kruger National Park experienced heavy floodings in January 2012 caused by strong rainfall in the area. Some of the parks camps and picnic sites, as well as roads and low level bridges, got damaged by the water masses and had to be temporarily closed. Flood repairs are still underway in Kruger National Park, but in the meantime all camps and picnic spots are open again. Except for the following, all roads are open again (as of 20 Sept 2012):

• S25 (From S26 to S139, Biyamiti Low Level Bridge washed away (a temporary bypass has been completed and S25 has reopened)
• S33, S84
• Balule Low Level Bridge (detour via S89 and S90): Balule Bridge is expected to reopen by 15 November 2012.