Kruger National Park History ( First Decade 1898 - 1907)

1898 - Sabie Established
President Paul Kruger proclaimed the “Gouvernement Wildtuin on 26 March 1898. Its boundaries stretched from the Crocodile River in the south to the Sabie River in the north and from the Nsikazi River in the west to the Mozambican border in the east.

1899 - Boer War
During the Anglo Boer War, the proclamation of the Sabie Game Reserve was nullified. This was reinstated in 1902.

1902 - Stevenson-Hamilton
Maj James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed as Game Warden of the Sabie Game Reserve in July 1902 and, after a four-month period where he used a cottage at Crocodile Bridge, he moved his headquarters to the old blockhouse at Sabie Bridge in November of that year. He was 35 years old when he was appointed.

1903 - Shingwedzi Game Reserve
An area between the Letaba and Limpopo rivers was proclaimed a game reserve. This area was called the Shingwedzi Game Reserve.

1903 - Wolhuter
Previously a member of Steinaeckers’ Horse Regiment, Harry Wolhuter was appointed as the first game ranger in the fledgling park. That November he experienced a life changing incident when a lion attacked him and he managed to kill the lion with his sheath knife.