THE chairman of the Eastern Cape Province's Economic Affairs, Tourism and Environment standing committee, ANC MPL Andre de Wet, wants the department to investigate charging entrance fees to various nature reserves in the Province.
Speaking at the committee meeting recently, he said he had visited the spectacular Valley of Desolation outside Graaff Reinet and was amazed that no entrance fee was charged for seeing this national treasure.
He pointed out that the tourist attraction had over 100 000 visitors a year and the reserve cost the government a minimum of R32 000 a month in upkeep.
Committee member United Democratic Movement MP Johan Malherbe was tasked with taking up the matter in his area, Graaff Reinet.
A motion was put forward to discuss the possibility of investigating payment at all nature reserves in the province at the next meeting.
Said Malherbe: "Not charging for such an attraction does not make economic sense. The province is cash-strapped and must look at ways of raising revenue. A simple exercise of charging R5 a head at the Valley would bring R500 000 a year."
All revenue collected must be sent to provincial coffers.
(Rosemary Wilson)
