QwaQwa National Park

Lore & Background

The QwaQwa National Park area is the historical home of the Bakoena and the Batlokoa people. The South African Development Trust (SADT) had purchased additional land to the north and northwest of QwaQwa in 1984 to reduce localised overcrowding. Additional land of the QwaQwa Farms was leased to black farmers or taken over by the QwaQwa agricultural development corporation. Under the South African Government's Land Reform Programme, the QwaQwa Bantustan was dissolved, and the remaining SADT was proclaimed as the QwaQwa National Park in January 1992 according to section 18(1) of the Qwaqwa Nature Conservation Act (No. 5) of 1976.

The park was initially managed by the Highlands Development Corporation (HDC), a government business enterprise, which was involved in the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. Agrico, another government-owned enterprise, took over the park in 1995. As the farm occupies the former Bantustan, agricultural labourers remained in the area when the park was proclaimed. Residents resisted attempts by park managers to reduce their domestic animal stocks and to relocate residents, citing cultural and economic relevance of the land and ancestral grave sites. Eventually, park management limited domestic livestock to 15 large stock units per household to control soil erosion.

Reader's Guide

The QwaQwa National Park represents a complex intersection of conservation, land reform, and community rights in post-apartheid South Africa. Created in 1992 from the dissolved QwaQwa Bantustan, the park was intended to involve local communities in national projects, yet it became a site of conflict between residents and park management over land use, livestock grazing, and cultural heritage. The majority of residents were descendants of farm labourers on white-owned farms until the SADT purchased the land. Despite efforts to limit domestic livestock and water use, most residents continue to graze their cattle in the park. The park is also part of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area Peace Park, linking it to broader regional conservation efforts. Its 22,000 hectares host diverse wildlife including springbok, eland, and the endangered Cape Vulture, and offer activities such as bird watching, game tours, and a tour of the Basotho Cultural Village, which reconstructs traditional homesteads from the 1700s.

Did You Know?

• The park was established in January 1992 under the Qwaqwa Nature Conservation Act (No. 5) of 1976.
• The park was previously enclosed with fencing, which was later removed to allow free movement of 3,000 game animals.
• Residents refused to move from ancestral grave sites within the park.
• The park is a breeding ground for the endangered Cape Vulture.