Four people who were reported missing after a helicopter disappeared inside the Kruger National Park have been found alive and unharmed, bringing a dramatic end to an overnight search operation. The group — comprising a pilot, two South African Police Service (SAPS) investigators and an environmental crime investigator — was located on Tuesday morning after spending the night in a remote area of dense bush. According to a media statement issued by the office of the Provincial Commissioner of SAPS…

The Otter Trail in Tsitsikamma National Park is famous for its beauty — and for the heavy bags hikers must carry. Now, a local man from Nompumelelo Village has found a way to make it easier. Burton Mlandu, 46, started a company called Burton Otter Slackpacking and Transfers. His team carries bags for hikers along the five-day, 42-kilometer trail, which runs from Storms River Rest Camp to Nature’s Valley. “I used to work for SANParks, but I’m more of an…

“Plastic harms people and nature — rural communities and parks feel the biggest impact”, says SANParks South African National Parks (SANParks) marked World Environment Day (WED) 2025 with a strong message about the dangers of plastic pollution and the need to include local communities in environmental efforts. In a media statement, SANParks said this year’s global WED theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” highlights the urgent need to tackle one of the world’s most serious environmental threats. According to the United Nations,…

South African firefighters have managed to contain a four-day massive wildfire near Cape Town, the country’s legislative capital, on Saturday as evacuated residents were allowed to return home. The wildfire started on Tuesday on the mountain slopes of Simon’s Town, around 40 km south of Cape Town and part of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. It has since swept across thousands of hectares in the area, resulting in scores of residents being evacuated from their homes. “The Joint…