War on rhino poaching: SANParks finally ready to roll out polygraph testing for staff

SANParks employees will soon be subject to polygraph testing in a bid to curb rampant wildlife poaching crimes amid the ever-dwindling numbers of rhinos observed in South Africa.

Don English, the head ranger for SANParks, told the media in a briefing at the Kruger National Park (KNP) this week that poaching syndicates had compromised SANParks rangers.

According to him, poaching has cost SANParks an estimated R240 million in the past 12 months, with 16 Kruger National Park field rangers recently charged for assisting poachers.

ALSO READ: Poison, snares ravage animals in Kruger Park as poaching escalates

KNP rangers recruited by rhino poaching syndicates

“A lot of our field rangers have been recruited by poaching syndicates,” English was quoted as saying by Power 98.7.

“We recently had a section where 16 of the 18 field rangers in the section were involved, directly connected with bank statements to syndicates,” revealed the head ranger.

ALSO READ: Kruger National Park’s rhinos remain under constant threat from poachers

Why the long delay in implementation of polygraph testing?

In 2022, approval of the integrity testing policy was confirmed in response to a question to the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Barbara Creecy after ongoing pressure from Democratic Alliance (DA) MPs. 

At the time, Creecy committed to implementing the policy by the end of 2023: “The SANParks polygraph testing policy was approved by the board on November 23. It is envisaged that the policy will be implemented in the fourth quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year. 

“The polygraph testing standard operating procedure has also been developed to guide the implementation of the policy.”

The minister added that a polygraph testing committee will be established to guide and advise on the implementation processes.

The integrity testing policy was first approved way back in January 2017.

In response to the delay in implementing the testing, the DA highlighted the fact “thousands of endangered animals, in particular our rhinos, have been poached” in the meantime.

ALSO READ: SANParks partners with neighbouring nations to benefit communities

Latest rhino poaching statistics

Creecy  released the rhino poaching statistics for 2023 on 27 February this year.

The minister said that during the first six months of 2023, the department was hard at work alongside the South African Police Service (Saps), the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the war against rhino poaching.

According to her, their combined efforts led to the conviction of 31 offenders.

During 2023, a total of 499 rhinos were poached across South Africa; 406 were killed on state properties and 93 on privately owned parks, reserves and farms. This was an increase of 51 in comparison to the 448 rhinos poached in 2022.

Interventions lead to  37% decrease in rhino poaching in KNP

Creecy outlined that the decrease of rhino poached in the KNP in 2023 can be attributed to various combined interventions:

• There is strong collaboration between external stakeholders permanently based in the KNP and attending to various wildlife crime cases, such as the Skukuza Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, Skukuza SAPS and SAPS forensic teams.
• An extensive and ongoing dehorning programme has been started, which focuses on the dehorning of all rhinos in core areas.
• The continued implementation of the KNP Ranger Services integrity management plan, which is a holistic approach that assesses the drivers and dynamics of corruption, and then addresses these with a comprehensive actions that focus on building individual integrity and organisational resilience to corruption.
• There is improved access control through the installation of automated number plate recognition cameras and gate cameras.
• Radar detection systems that remotely track any illegal entry of poachers on foot into the KNP have been implemented.

She said in the 2023/24 financial year, the department had embarked on a consultative process to revise both the black and white rhinoceros’s biodiversity management plans in line with the provision of the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act.

• Members of the public can report any suspicious activities concerning wildlife to the department’s environmental crime hotline on 0800 205 005, or the SAPS on 10111.

NOW READ: Investigations underway after senior SANParks manager killed by hippo in Kruger National Park