South Africans will be able to access national parks for free for a week, starting on Saturday.

SA National Parks Week runs from 16 to 24 September, and aims to encourage citizens to enjoy their natural heritage – especially communities bordering the protected areas, as they might not ordinarily be able to afford the general entry fees, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment said.

"National Parks Week is an ideal opportunity for us to introduce the majesty and beauty of the country's national parks to the people, especially to communities who seldom get to experience and enjoy these areas of conservation, cultural heritage and biological diversity, right on their doorstep," Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy said at the launch on Friday.

The initiative was launched in 2006, allowing more than 619 292 South Africans, who otherwise would not have, to visit parks.

To qualify for free entry, South Africans must present their identity documents. Children younger than 16 will not be required to provide identification.

The free access does not include accommodation and commercial activities within parks, such as safaris and guided walks.

The Namaqua National Park in the Northern Cape, the Boulders Penguin Colony and the Cableway in Table Mountain National Park in the Western Cape do not form part of the National Parks Week free access programme.

In her address, Creecy noted the work of the tourism department to support infrastructure projects in national parks, given their importance to the tourism industry. These include the installation of solar PV and inverters to help meet roughly a quarter of the daytime electricity demand for the Skukuza rest camp and administrative operations in the Kruger.

"Since commissioning of the system in May 2018, Skukuza has reduced its electricity bill with an average of R136 000 per month, which translates to a saving of more than R8-million over the past five years," said Creecy.

Creecy said that partnerships like this between government departments and institutions are important to help finance and manage protected areas.

"Such partnerships can and will ensure the future sustainability of nature-based tourism and its longer-term employment potential."

The Kruger National Park is South Africa's first national park and the largest - spanning 19 458 square kilometres. It is the sixth-largest national park in Africa and includes the Big Five - lion, buffalo, elephant, rhino and leopard.