James Stevenson-Hamilton - History of The Sabie Game Reserve

History of The Sabie Game Reserve

Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, commonly known as Paul Kruger was the President of the South African Republic from 1883 to 1902. It was he who first pled “for setting aside certain areas where game could be protected and where nature could remain unspoilt as the Creator made it.” His vision was however not shared with other members of his parliament as his efforts to conserve land in especially the areas between Swaziland and Zululand and in the Zoutpansberg area met strong opposition. In 1891, he managed to amend existing game laws and the state started providing protection for various animal species. After managing to declare other smaller areas game reserves, on 26 March 1898, he proclaimed the ‘Goewerments Wildtuin’ (Government’s Reserve) between the Sabie and Crocodile rivers (Paynter and Nussey 1986) as the Sabie Nature Reserve. After the end of the Anglo-Boer-War and the demise of Paul Kruger, the reserve had almost been forgotten until Lord Milner re-issued the proclamation for the reserve.