The cost of repairs to infrastructure damaged by floods earlier this year in the Kruger National Park is estimated to reach R950 million.

Heavy rains and severe flooding in January caused substantial damage to infrastructure in the park, including roads, accommodation and water-related infrastructure.

Since then, the park’s management team and contractors have been hard at work progressively repairing the damage.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment David Maynier visited the Kruger National Park last week to receive high-level briefings from the park’s management team, focusing on the progress in repairing flood-damaged infrastructure.

He visited one of the worst-hit camps, Letaba Rest Camp, where work is currently underway and repairs are progressing well.

The A and B circles at Letaba are expected to be brought back into operation in September.

The Letaba High-Level bridge was also severely damaged but is currently open, and the final aspects of the rebuild are now nearing completion.

Maynier also spent time engaging with guests at both the Skukuza Rest Camp units and the Letaba camp site.

“The guest experience must be a key focus for investments going forward, as we want families and friends to come together and create lasting memories of their time at the park. I’m happy to report that the reviews were overwhelmingly positive, and any snags will be addressed by the park’s management,” Maynier said.

The recovery work being undertaken is not just repairing the damage but also building more modern and resilient facilities for the future.

“Our national parks are valuable environmental assets, and the Kruger National Park is the jewel in our crown. We must ensure that they are maintained and revitalised,” Maynier said in a statement on Tuesday.

The January floods were described as the worst in at least 26 years, with heavy rainfall that began in December 2025 and intensified through January. The South African government classified the event as a national disaster.

Multiple camps were closed due to flood damage, including Pafuri Border Camp, Punda Maria Rest Camp, Sirheni Bush Camp, Shingwedzi Rest Camp, Mopani Rest Camp, Letaba and Olifants Rest Camps, Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp and Gate, Lower Sabie, Satara Rest Camp and others.

A section of the Letaba Bridge was washed away, effectively severing the north and south sections of the park. Various roads suffered severe damage, with three temporary bypasses washed away on the H4-1 between Skukuza and Lower Sabie.

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Approximately 500 staff members were stranded at Mopani and Olifants camps during the height of the flooding. However, no fatalities were reported among guests or staff within the park, credited to effective early warning systems and coordinated emergency evacuations.

The Letaba camping site reopened on 6 July following the completion of fence repairs and the main public ablution facility. The less severely damaged accommodation units are expected to reopen by mid-August, with the camp projected to be fully operational by December.

Initial estimates put the repair costs between R500 million and R700 million. A Kruger Recovery Fund was launched by former minister Willie Aucamp in January to support rebuilding efforts, as the damage exceeded existing contingency and maintenance budgets.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment will provide further updates on the recovery works in due course.

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