MALELANE, Mpumalanga — Unemployed young people from the Nkomazi Local Municipality have formally demanded more Kruger National Park jobs and business opportunities by handing over a memorandum of grievances at the Malalani gate.
The youth, who say they have been applying for positions on a yearly basis with no response, allege that local residents are being left out of the park’s economic ecosystem. They argue that despite the park undergoing renovations and expanding business opportunities following recent severe floods, the surrounding communities have not benefited from the growth.
Sbusiso Mhlanga, the organizer of the unemployed youth forum and spokesperson for the marchers, stated that park management has failed to take local residents seriously. He highlighted a stark contrast in employment dynamics, noting that local community members are largely restricted to menial tasks, such as cleaning, while leadership and permanent positions are predominantly filled by outsiders.
“For the longest time, the park hasn’t been taking us seriously as residents,” Mhlanga explained. He pointed out that only about 5% of the park’s workforce database represents people from the local Nkomazi area. Furthermore, he alleged that many of the outside workers brought in are temporary staff who are working under immense pressure out of fear of losing their jobs.
The demonstrators are also demanding that the government’s promotion of local entrepreneurs be practically implemented within the park’s premises, allowing local businesses to be featured and thrive.
To ensure their demands are met with actionable data, the protesters set up a registration tent at the gate to gather names, CVs, qualifications, and business proposals from local youth and entrepreneurs. Mhlanga confirmed that the youth forum is building its own comprehensive database. This list will be presented directly to park management during their scheduled engagement to prove the availability of skilled local candidates for vacant posts.
The organizers have given the Kruger National Park a 14-day ultimatum to respond to the memorandum of grievances. Following the peaceful handover, the march dispersed, with the youth returning home hopeful that their cries for equitable representation and economic inclusion will finally be addressed.
