There is so much crime in one South African province that tourists are now avoiding it

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) blamed high rainfall for its shortfall in revenue collection. However, the DA said this was a cheap scapegoat.

The agency reported that it collected only R91 million of the targeted R100 million in Revenue Collection for 2025/2026.

The agency said that rainfall and negative publicity regarding facility conditions kept tourists away and caused the R9 million shortfall. The DA was not convinced.

“Tourists stay away from Mpumalanga because of crime, poor road infrastructure to tourism destinations, and poor governance of the entity,” the DA said.

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency revealed that 20% of its facilities generate 80% of its revenue.

However, these top facilities, especially the Panorama route and Manyeleti sites, are in poor condition and have been prioritised for renovations.

The DA added that widespread crime poses a significant threat to Mpumalanga’s vital tourism sector.

This crime includes incidents of murder, robbery, carjacking, and general attacks on tourists in areas like the Kruger National Park and the Panorama route.

“Just last week, two elderly tourists were hijacked and murdered in the Kruger National Park. Two Mozambican nationals have since been arrested for the murder,” it said.

“We believe that the uncontrolled crime in the mentioned hotspots compromises the province’s tourism revenue collection and damages our international reputation.”

In its report to the Portfolio Committee, the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency acknowledged that crime is a major threat to the tourism sector.

Initiatives to address crime in Mpumalanga

To address the crime problem, the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency invested in numerous programmes.

This includes the Victim Support Programme, which provides aftercare to tourists in distress following accidents, hijackings, and robberies.

They said when incidents of crime are reported, services are sourced to assist the tourists in distress.

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency has also invested R300,000 in establishing a 24-hour tourism safety toll-free helpline for tourists visiting the province.

They reported that the toll-free line can be accessed at any time of day, seven days a week, including weekends and public holidays.

The helpline includes providing immediate assistance and transporting tourists to a place of safety.

It coordinates volunteers to meet and support affected tourists on-site and attends to the immediate needs of the tourists.

If needed, the 24-hour tourism safety toll-free helpline will guide them through necessary police procedures.