Minister W. Aucamp: Keynote Address at the Kruger National Park Beneficiation Signing Ceremony

29 May 2026, Kruger National Park

Programme Director,
Premier of Mpumalanga Province, Mandla Ndlovu, (TBC) 
Premier of Limpopo Province, Dr. Phophi Ramathuba, (TBC) 
Interim Chairperson of SANParks, Ms Beryl Ferguson,
CEO of SANParks, Ms Hapiloe Sello,
Traditional leaders joining us today,
Current and former SANParks and DFFE colleagues
Our special guests today, the members of previously dispossessed landowners,
Distinguished guests, 
Good morning.

It is an absolute honour and privilege for me to stand before you as we mark this momentous occasion as we finally sign the Beneficiation Scheme Framework Agreement, on the eve of the Kruger National Park Centenary.

Today, we turn an often sensitive matter, land, into a story of victory and resilience. Land is more than just the soil and rocks beneath our feet. It represents bloodlines, legacy, and heritage. It is the very soil that one’s grandparents and great grandparents once lived, dreamed, worked the land, and enjoyed fruit under the shade of the trees. 

This beneficiation agreement represents restoration empowerment, and a shared commitment to transforming natural resources into lasting opportunities for you and your future generations.

When I started engaging with the DFFE and SANParks team to better understand the history of what we are gathered about here today.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is a story of resilience, strength and the pursuit of justice.

The Kruger National Park land claims were lodged in the early 2000s and by 2008, Cabinet had recognized it as a strategic national asset and affirmed the need for equitable redress. This was with the view to safeguard this natural heritage as well as the dignity of claimant communities. The negotiations leading up to this moment, began in 2012, which is why today marks a defining moment in South Africa’s conservation journey.

We recognise that this process has not been without challenges. We recognize that some members of the claimant communities have passed on without experiencing  this moment. We honour and salute them. Whilst there have been delays, disagreements, and legitimate concerns raised by communities. These were not signs of failure – they were realities of transforming systems that were never designed to be inclusive. What matters is that we remained committed to progress.

We are not only acknowledging the difficult historical context of where the Kruger story began, we are using the lessons learned in the last 100 years to inform how we can make better choices for our people and communities.

Since the dawn of democracy, various sectors of society have partnered to tackle the delicate matter of redress. In this moment, the signing of this agreement will hopefully inspire others to pull together, have the difficult conversations, collaborate toward finding common ground. It is a true testament to the spirit of a nation working together to advance our common aspirations of addressing the triple challenges of addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment.

This Beneficiation Scheme affirms that conservation must deliver value not only for biodiversity, but for people. This is in advancement of Goal 4 of the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use on transformation and promoting the rights, ownership and responsibilities of all role players in the biodiversity sector. Importantly, we also recognize equality, freedom and inclusive economic growth while recognising traditional knowledge, practices and restoration of access.

As government, we are clear: the future of conservation in South Africa is one of inclusive stewardship. A model where communities are partners, not spectators. Where benefits are shared. Where development and biodiversity protection reinforce each other. This is especially important as we approach the Kruger National Park’s centenary tomorrow, where His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa will join us in marking 100 years of this iconic institution. That milestone challenges us to define what the next century of conservation must look like.

It cannot look like the past.

It must be a future where conservation is legitimate because it is inclusive. Where it succeeds because it is supported by the people who live closest to it. The signing of this beneficiation scheme is therefore not an endpoint – it is a foundation. A foundation upon which we must build structured implementation, economic opportunities, and long-term partnerships.

We honour and recognize those within the community and government structures that have worked hard behind and on the forefront for us to arrive at this historic moment.

To the previously dispossessed landowners present today, I invite you to embrace this moment.  This is your moment, but it is also your platform for the future. We must work together to ensure that the benefits envisioned today translate into real improvements in livelihoods. We must work together to advance South Africa’s conservation aspiration where people and nature thrive. Where we safeguard our valued natural resources as we advance socio-economic development. Long shall it be that the future generations questions decisions we make today; and that they stand proud of this foundation set for them.

To SANParks and its Board: your responsibility now is execution. The credibility of this initiative will depend on delivery and partnership with these previously disposed communities.

Let us move forward with clarity and determination, and with a shared understanding that the legitimacy of conservation in the next century will depend on who it includes, who it benefits, and how it is governed. Therefore, the success of this scheme will not be measured by today’s signatures – but by the impact it delivers in the lives of communities now and in the long term.

I thank you.

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