ABOUT S.A.G.P.A

Local gold panning enthusiasts put their heads together and formed the South African Gold Panning Association

in July 1997.

In the same year South Africa became the twentieth member of the World Gold Panning Association; the primary

objective being to promote and maintain the tradition of gold panning in South Africa and to facilitate co-operation

between gold prospectors.

S.A.G.P.A joined forces with the Pilgrims Rest Museum and Mpumalanga's Department of Culture, Sport and

Recreation to present the first South African Gold Panning Competition in December 1997.

At this competition 78 local gold panners participated.

Since 1997 public interest in gold panning has increased steadily and by the 2003 National Championships

participation had increased to 537 competitors.

There have also been competitors from Mozambique , Zambia , Great Britain , Switzerland and

New Zealand .

South African gold panning has come a long way and all the events now complied fully with International standards.

For the past 7 years, S.A.G.P.A and Mpumalanga 's Dept. Culture, Sport and Recreation have successfully

presented the S.A. National Championships every year and sent a fully representative team to participate in the

World Championships in Poland, Australia, Japan and in 2003 Switzerland .

In October 2001 at the AGM of the World Gold Panning Association, S.A.G.P.A succeeded to secure the bid to

host the 2005 World Gold Panning Championships at Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga.

This is not only a first for South Africa but a first for Africa.