No entry: Safety concerns cause closure of 1 of Lowveld’s Mac-Mac pools

For David Holmes and his family, nothing could beat a weekend trip to forests, waterfalls and numerous pools in the Lowveld area.

Lowvelder reports that big was his surprise when, during a recent visit to the well-known Mac-Mac Pools near Graskop, they found that the bigger of the two pools was fenced off and marked with a ‘no entry’ sign.

“It was truly a highlight to cool off in the sparkling pools,” Holmes says.

According to Nokuthula Makaringe, the communication manager of the South African Forestry Company Limited (Safcol), the larger pool at Mac-Mac was fenced off a few months ago to ensure visitors’ safety.

“At this stage, there are no plans to close the smaller pool as it is currently considered a low risk due to its depth.”

Several drownings, not only at the Mac-Mac Pools, but at some of the waterfalls near Sabie, have been recorded in the past.

Makaringe says Safcol, as owner of the plantations in the Sabie/Graskop area, is custodian of many of the tourist spots, including waterfalls, cascades and pools, on the Panorama Route. These include Lone Creek Falls, Green Heritage Picnic Site, Maria Shires Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Mac-Mac Falls, Lisbon Falls and Berlin Falls.

Due to several incidents, Safcol also fenced off Lone Creek and Lisbon falls.

Asked about the use of these bodies of water for religious purposes, Makaringe says they maintain mutual respect for whoever wants to visit the sites.

“Some of these practices are considered private and personal, and, therefore, all visitors are granted access, regardless of the reason for visiting.”

To ensure the continuous safety of visitors, visible warning signs and security personnel have been deployed to manage and control inappropriate behaviour during busy times.

The exciting news is that there is a possibility of a co-operation agreement between Safcol and the private sector to develop some of these natural attractions.

“We can confirm that Safcol has received unsolicited proposals from various stakeholders. However, as these proposals are still under consideration, we cannot disclose further details at this time,” Makaringe says.

Oupa Pilane, a well-known Lowvelder, tourism entrepreneur and chairperson of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, confirmed that proposals had been made to Safcol.

“Currently, domestic tourism numbers to Mpumalanga are dwindling, and we need to create exciting opportunities to draw more tourists to the province. Developing sites such as the Mac-Mac Pools and the numerous waterfalls will be to the benefit of the broader communities and businesses in the area,” he says.

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