Skukuza Safari Logde to open soon
Construction is completed, but the building is still to be officially handed over by the construction company.
The much-anticipated Skukuza Safari Lodge might open in May.
It should have opened late in 2018 already, but according to SANParks media specialist Ike Phaahla, the process got delayed. They envisage that it would open for guests somewhere in May.
“Construction is completed, but the building is still to be officially handed over by the construction company,” he said. “We had minor setbacks due to rain but all is on track again. The documentation should be done any time now, certifying that the building is ready for occupation.”
He continued by saying the process to find a suitable private operator with whom to form the public-private partnership to manage the hotel is underway and that an announcement would be made in due course. “The process is on the verge of being finalised,” he said.
SANParks invited prospective operators to submit detailed bids for the management of the lodge in August last year. One of the conditions was that the operator had to be a level-one contributor according to the provisions of the amended tourism B-BBEE code.
Upon completion, the hotel and conference facility should be able to accommodate about 250 tourists per night at full capacity.
At the time SANParks also announced other accommodation developments at Letaba and Phalaborwa.
A new Letaba concession on the western boundary of the KNP would permit the development of a smaller lodge, as well as certain activities on the concession area. A concession for a larger Phalaborwa Lodge just north of Phalaborwa Gate that requires equity participation by successful land claimants will also be awarded.
