Mozambique: Tourism bodies call for travel postponement amid potential protests! [update #6]

update (15 November 2024): According to media reports, the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique has been reopened again.

update (14 November 2024): According to SATSA's latest Mozambique update (13 November 2024), popular tourist destinations and resorts in Mozambique remain largely unaffected, however, visitors should be prepared for potential challenges including delays at the country’s borders, public gatherings in urban centres (which may turn violent) and limited access to some businesses and services. However, there are reports of more protests between 13 and 15 November 2024.
According to news24 on 13 November 2024, the Border Management Authority (BMA) commissioner Michael Masiapato said operations at the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique were temporarily halted for safety reasons.

update (11 November 2024): SABC yesterday reported that operations are gradually returning to normal at the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique.

update (07 November 2024): According to "Club of Mozamnbique", the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post was opened on this morning. It then got closed again by the Border Management Authority. This follows news that protesters in Mozambique are edging closer to the border despite the Mozambican military being deployed.

update (07 November 2024): SABC reports that the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post has been partially reopened. SABC is quoting the the Commissioner of the Border Management Authority, Michael Masiapato, saying that Mozambique has assured them that it’s safe to partially reopen the port of entry as they have deployed the military to the border.

update (06 November 2024): SATSA has released an update on the current situation in Mozambique. South Africa's Border Management Authority (BMA) announced the temporary closure of the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post due to safety concerns on the Mozambican side on 05 November 2024.
Key tourism destinations in Mozambique remain unaffected but there have been more reports of unrest in urban areas.
According to SATSA CEO David Frost, opposition leaders suggested that the week-long protest action would culminate in a mass demonstration in Maputo on 07 November 2024. 

The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), a non-profit organization based in South Africa that serves as the leading voice for inbound tourism in the region, in cooperation with Africa’s Eden, a registered non-profit company based in Botswana that focuses on promoting sustainable tourism across several African countries, are encouraging travellers intending to visit Mozambique over the next week to postpone their plans. Following recent election-related unrest, Mozambique’s opposition leaders have called for week-long protest action, including public demonstrations and a national strike, from Thursday, 31 October 2024 to Thursday, 07 November 2024.
According to SATSA/Africa's Eden, the full impact on the tourism industry in Mozambique is currently unclear. However, the next seven days may see public protests across the country as well as mass mobilisation in Maputo. The Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique, as well as other key border crossings, may be impacted by civil action. Access to Maputo International Airport (MPM) in Maputo may be intermittently affected by road blockades. Access to healthcare may also be affected in areas with ongoing protests. At this point, popular tourism destinations across Mozambique are planning to remain open and hotels and tourism services to remain operational during the next seven days. We'll keep you posted!

Kruger National Park: Emergency arrangements for guests due protest action in Mbombela and surrounding areas! [update #7]

update (08 July 2022): According to "The Lowvelder", a local newspaper from Nelspruit, all reports indicate that everything is mostly back to normal (as at 08:00 this morning).

update (08 July 2022):  According to SANParks, the N4 at the Crocodile River Bridge between Kaapmuiden and Matsulu junction is currently blocked by a truck that has been placed across the road, blocking the whole E-W sides and set alight. (as at 20:26, 07 July 2022)

update (07 July 2022): According to SANParks, the N4 is cleared and open again.

update (07 July 2022): SANParks has released three recent updates regarding the situation outside the southern part of Kruger National Park.

• N4 now closed with trucks at the KaNyamazane turn-off before the gorge.
• The situation around Hazyview and Mkhuhlu is still volatile . Access to Paul Kruger Gate and Numbi Gate still blocked but Phabeni Gate, Open Gate, Crocodile Bridge Gate and Malelane are all accessible.
• Hazyview to Kruger Gate road blocked by truck at Mhkuhlu mall.

update (07 July 2022): SANParks just released a road update on facebook. According to the post, the N4 is now open and it is quiet in the area. It seems the situation is stabilizing. N4 is clear from Mbombela (Nelspruit) to Malelane, including R40 and Mkhuhlu area. The Plaston road still has two trucks but the road can be accessed.

update (07 July 2022): According to local newspaper "Lowvelder", no closures have been reported in Mbombela (Nelspruit) thus far, but some outlying areas are reported as closed. According to a posting by a group member in Kruger National Park's official facebook group, the N4 between Mbombela (Nelspruit) towards Crocodile Bridge Gate is open with police everywhere. However there was an accident between two trucks 40 km before Malelane from Mbombela (Nelspruit). Heavy congested from Malelane's direction. 

update (06 July 2022): The road between Hazyview and Kruger National Park's Phabeni Gate is now open.

The promise of a National Shutdown in South Africa was realised by protesters in Mbombela (Nelspruit) and surrounding areas in Mpumalanga, after they blockaded the N4 and several other roads this morning (06 July 2022). Some of the entry roads into the southern part of Kruger National Park are affected, so that South African National Parks (SANParks) has made the following emergency arrangements for 06 July 2022.

• Guests are allowed to leave the Kruger National Park exit gates on their own accord up to gate closing time.
• After gate closing time guests will not be allowed to leave Kruger National Park's exit gates. Guests without bookings will be allowed to spend the night inside their vehicles either at the exit gate or at any of the rest camps in designated areas. They can use the ablution facilities at the gates or at the tourist camp.
• SANParks will keep certain entry gates open after normal closing time for guests with bookings that may make their way to our entry gates. The gates that will be open until 20:00 on 06 July 2022 are:
• Orpen Gate – for visitors with bookings at Orpen, Satara, Marula and Tamboti camps.
• Kruger Gate – for visitors with bookings at any of the tourist facilities in Skukuza.
• Phabeni Gate - for visitors with bookings at any of the tourist facilities in Skukuza or Pretoriuskop.
• Malelane Gate - for visitors with bookings at Malelane Private camp and Berg & Dal.
• Crocodile Bridge Gate - for visitors with bookings at Crocodile Bridge or Lower Sabie.
• Escorts from the entry gates to the camps will be arranged at 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 by Protection Services.
• HSMs must arrange for the designated gates and camps reception offices to remain open until 21:00.

We'll keep you posted!

Kruger National Park: Malelane Gate temporarily inaccessible due to labour protest! [update]

update (27 November 2020): The protest action outside Malelane Gate has been resolved and the gate is fully operational again.

South African National Parks (SANParks) has informed the public that a labour protest organised by one of the local political parties against a farming establishment outside Kruger National Park is planned to take place on 27 November 2020 along the R570 (which leads to Kruger National Park). The road to the Malelane Gate might therefore be inaccessible. SANParks recommends travellers planning to visit Kruger National Park to use alternative gates such as Phabeni Gate and Paul Kruger Gate to enter or exit Kruger National Park as a precautionary measure until further notice. We'll keep you posted!

South Africa: SANParks employees to strike for one day over wage dispute! [update]

update (19 September 2019): South African National Parks (SANParks) has confirmed that the planned protest action at Kruger National Park on Friday (20 September 2019) has been successfully averted. In a meeting that was convened on 18 September 2019 with the majority of unions Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union (HOSPERSA) and National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NUPSAW) a collective agreement was concluded and signed. 

update (19 September 2019): According to the online edition of the "The Lowvelder", the threatening strike at Kruger National Park on Friday (20 September 2019) has been successfully averted. The unions accepted the new offer from South African National Parks (SANParks), and a deal was signed.

South African National Parks (SANParks) has received official information from the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) and the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa) that protest action ("strike") is planned take place at Kruger National Park's Paul Kruger Gate on Friday 20 September 2019. The two labour unions further informed SANParks that staff from other National Parks in South Africa are also encouraged to withdraw labour on that day.
According to SANParks, contingency plans are in place and will be activated with immediate effect in all parks to minimize any disruptions in the delivery of service to the guests. In a statement released earlier tody (17 September 2019), SANParks request its guests to note that the one-day protest action will be focused at Kruger National Park's Paul Kruger Gate where management will receive a memorandum of grievance from organized labour. All other entrance gates to Kruger National Park and other National Parks will be operational as normal. It is for this reason that guests are advised not to cancel any bookings as a consequence of a one-day planned protest action announced by the two unions.

Kruger National Park: SANParks advises not to use Numbi Gate for the time being!

Due to protest action along the R538 between White River and Hazyview, South African National Parks (SANParks) yesterday (23 January 2019) decided to close Kruger National Park's Numbi Gate (Hazyview side) for the entire day. The gate is open again today (24 January 2019), but SANParks still advises visitors to use alternative gates such as Phabeni Gate or Paul Kruger Gate to access or exit Kruger National Park. We'll keep you posted!