The Kruger National Park (KNP) officially reopened the Letaba High-level Bridge to traffic as of Monday, March 23.

The general manager of communications and marketing, Rey Thakhuli, said the reopening marks the restoration of a vital artery within the park, once again providing a direct link between the Nxanatseni (northern) and Marula (southern) regions.

“While the news is a relief for travellers, park officials are urging caution as the infrastructure is not yet back to 100% capacity. While the structural integrity has been restored enough to allow vehicles to pass, the bridge currently has no side barriers. Guests are warned that they may not get out of their vehicles on the bridge as per norm. Once the barriers are fixed and a safety inspection completed, we will post an update for all our guests,” he said

Thakhuli also said although high-level bridges are favourite spots for tourists to stop and peer down at hippos or elephants in the riverbed, this temporary restriction is vital.

“Without the protective railings, the drop is dangerous and the usual safety buffer between visitors and the environment is absent,” he said

The closure of the Letaba High-level Bridge was due to the heavy rainfall and the subsequent catastrophic flooding which caused significant structural concerns and damage.

“The water reached levels that compromised the safety of the crossing. To protect guests and staff, the KNP management took the difficult decision to shut down the bridge, effectively splitting the park’s internal transit routes and forcing long detours for those travelling between the north and south,” he said

Thakhuli added that the KNP management will provide a final update once the safety barriers have been installed and the bridge returns to its full operational status.