A dispute over the planned closure of parts of the Blyde River Canyon during the festive season to allow filming of a documentary on nature conservation ended in a mediated agreement between the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) and industry stakeholders.
Last week, the agency announced that the waterfall area would be closed from November 17 to December 23 and that the Swadini Viewpoint gates would be shut from November 24 to December 24.
The announcement came at the worst possible moment for the tourism sector – right when families were finalising festive plans and businesses were preparing for their most profitable time of the year. Within hours, panic spread across booking platforms and tourism forums as operators warned that holidaymakers might reroute to other provinces rather than risk losing access to the Panorama Route’s most in-demand sites.
Among the voices that amplified the alarm was Oupa Pilane, special attaché for tourism development and transformation at the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism. For him and hundreds of tourism workers, the festive season is not simply a holiday, but survival.
“The MTPA has once again proven that it values quick cash from film crews over the livelihoods of local communities and the recovery of our hard-hit tourism sector. Shutting down Swadini Viewpoint and key waterfall access for six weeks during peak December holiday season – under the guise of filming – is not just inconvenient; it is economically reckless and tone-deaf,” argued Pilane.
The warning hit at a time when tourism demand in Mpumalanga is soaring.
Statistics South Africa’s latest report shows that the province dominated international arrivals in September, receiving 257 392 tourists – a 22% year-on-year surge.
Pilane said they raised the alarm because its members, including tour operators, curio sellers, tour guides and guesthouse owners, feared that a six-week closure would collapse their December trade entirely.
“December is make-or-break for small guesthouses, boat operators, curio sellers and tour guides in Graskop, Hoedspruit, and surrounding villages. Visitors plan a year in advance to see the Blyde River Canyon. Many will now cancel …” he said.
The backlash forced the MTPA to sit down with stakeholders on Monday. The meeting included the Blyde River Canyon Communal Property Associations (CPAs) and Triosphere, the company producing the documentary. After hours of negotiation, an agreement was reached: filming would continue, but the canyon would only be closed on selected filming days rather than for six consecutive weeks.
“We are pleased that this multi-stakeholder meeting provided clarity on the eminent partial closure that will have an impact on tourism during the festive season,” said MTPA acting CEO Lemmy Mdluli on Tuesday.
“All parties recognise the importance of filming in the province, especially at a prominent tourism attraction such as Swadini viewpoint. This filming initiative will provide positive economic spin-offs…”
Mdluli confirmed that access to the site will continue for tourists on non-filming days.
“All prearranged boat trips will be allowed to continue to operate to ensure that we still provide our patrons with a memorable experience of the site.”
The parties agreed to establish a protocol for future filming announcements to prevent tourism uncertainty.
Said Pilane: “We are pleased to have met with the MTPA, Triosphere and the Blyde CPA and we are committed to working together to ensure that our communities benefit from this initiative but also drive traffic to this popular site as we approach the festive season,” said Pilane.
Triosphere spokesperson Oloff Bergh highlighted the direct economic benefit of the documentary to local communities.
“It will benefit the locals within that area as most of them have been hired to provide services such as catering and transportation for the 550 member film crew,” said Bergh.
Meanwhile, the MTPA stressed that the festive experience at the canyon remains largely intact. Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, God’s Window and Pinnacle Rock will all operate without interruption throughout the holiday season.
