Visitors and staff at the Kruger National Park’s (KNP) Phalaborwa Gate were not affected after a brief water disruption earlier this month, South African National Parks (SANParks) has confirmed.

The interruption occurred on 10 December following a misunderstanding between SANParks and the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality regarding an alleged R44 million in outstanding property rates. SANParks said it became aware of the claim after a debt collector, acting on behalf of the municipality, facilitated the temporary closure of the water supply to the Phalaborwa Gate.

SANParks immediately engaged the Municipal Manager on the same day, resulting in an agreement to restore the water supply without delay. The supply was subsequently reinstated.

Importantly, SANParks confirmed that throughout the period of the water closure, the park continued to supply water from its own reservoirs. As a result, no visitors or staff experienced any disruption to services.

“A temporary water closure did not negatively affect operations, as the park had sufficient reserves in place,” SANParks said in a statement.

To prevent similar incidents in the future, SANParks and the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality are in the process of arranging a formal meeting to address the matter comprehensively. These discussions form part of broader engagements already planned with municipalities bordering the Limpopo section of the Kruger National Park in January 2026.

The Kruger National Park spans approximately two million hectares and is bordered by seven municipalities — four in Limpopo and three in Mpumalanga. SANParks noted that it has already reached legally sound and cooperative agreements on the application of property rates with municipalities in Mpumalanga and is working towards achieving similar arrangements in Limpopo.

Central to the discussions with Ba-Phalaborwa will be the methodology used to calculate the alleged R44 million debt. SANParks stated that it currently has no records confirming that this amount is legitimately owed and will seek full clarity on how the figure was determined, particularly within the context of legislation governing national parks.

SANParks reiterated its commitment to cooperative governance, transparency, and maintaining uninterrupted service delivery to visitors, staff, and surrounding communities. While municipalities do provide certain essential services, the organisation emphasised that the Kruger National Park remains largely self-sufficient.

The matter, SANParks said, will be addressed through constructive engagement to ensure long-term sustainability and collaboration.