| (a) | declare an area specified in the notice— |
| (ii) | as part of an existing national park; and |
| (b) | assign a name to the national park. |
| (2) | A declaration under subsection (1) (a) may only be issued to— |
| (i) | the area if the area is of national or international biodiversity importance or is or contains a viable, representative sample of South Africa's natural systems, scenic areas or cultural heritage sites; or |
| (b) | prevent exploitation or occupation inconsistent with the protection of the ecological integrity of the area; |
| (c) | provide spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and tourism opportunities which are environmentally compatible; and |
| (d) | contribute to economic development, where feasible. |
| (3) | A notice under subsection (1)(a) may be issued in respect of land if the owner has consented to the declaration by way of a written agreement with the Minister or South African National Parks. |
| (4) | The Minister must notify the relevant MEC of any declaration of an area in terms of subsection (1). |
| (5) | An area which was a national park when this section took effect must for purposes of this section be regarded as having been declared as such in terms of this section. |
(6)
| (a) | Each area defined in Schedule 2 shall be a national park under the name assigned to it in that Schedule. |
| (b) | The Minister may by notice in the Gazette amend Schedule 2. |
[Section 20(6) inserted by section 1 of Act No. 15 of 2009. Commencement date: 1 April 2013 [Proclamation No. 7, Gazette No. 36296]]
[Section 20 inserted by section 6 of Act No. 31 of 2004]
