- A 131-year-old historic hotel, neglected by the Mpumalanga Government
- As a tourist town, Pilgrims Rest has a shortage of accommodation
- Royal Hotel Pilgrims Rest declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004
Date: 12 August 2026
Release: Immediately
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga is concerned that the prolonged delays in leasing the historic Royal Hotel in Pilgrim’s Rest, has caused harm to the local tourism and economic development of the small town that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
As far back as 2016, the DA has been raising concerns in the Provincial Legislature about stalled administrative backlogs, red tapes, failed previous tenant agreements, and repeated tender re-advertisements by the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport which has forced extended closure of the Royal Hotel Pilgrim’s Rest; leaving many people jobless while the province has the third highest rate of unemployment (48.3%), after North West and the Eastern Cape Provinces.
In a Progress Report submitted this week to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works, Roads and Transport, the Department reported that the bids received for the operationalization of the Royal Hotel were non-responsive in terms of compliance to the advertised tender. They also added that the Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC) recommended that they re-advertise the tender.
The department has also acknowledged that due to the status of the town as a heritage and tourist attraction site, there is a high shortage of accommodation for tourists visiting the area because they still have not found a suitable bidder to operate the historic Royal Hotel Pilgrims Rest.
In September 2022, Kruger on Sabie (KOS) took over the running of the 131-year-old Hotel after the previous tenant, Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust’s (MRTT) lease ended. Despite initially absorbing all 50 employees, KOS later realised that they could not afford this and tried to introduce a shift work system. However, due to this breakdown, KOS was forced to vacate the premises until the dispute was resolved. It has not been resolved up to date.
Mpumalanga Tourism cannot afford to lose this hotel. The town of Pilgrims Rest and Royal Hotel Pilgrims Rest are part of Mpumalanga’s heritage. This historic 131-year-old hotel draws thousands of tourists to Pilgrim’s Rest each year, and the province cannot afford to let it decline, especially with unemployment at 48.3%.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Government needs to conserve Pilgrim’s Rest as a heritage site. Heritage sites promote a culture of learning the history of a town and its people, as it draws tourists from all walks of life. National Heritage sites also promote economic development through tourism.