News

A Pledge against poaching was presented to the South African National Parks (SANParks) staff members Thursday, 19 April 2018 by the Chief Operating Officer of SANParks, Ms Lize McCourt, on behalf of SANParks Board and Management.

The Pledge is meant to urge SANParks staff members to place honesty high on the list of their core values, and is fully backed by two existing trade unions at SANParks i.e. Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (HOSPERSA) and National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) who signed a collective agreement in line with this initiative last year.

“With the complete support of the two trade unions, we need to continue to encourage our staff members to live up to own standards of truthfulness and not compromise their integrity. This pledge will hopefully encourage more people to refrain from wildlife crime and the killing of species found in our National Parks. Please join us with this task of reinforcing the message of “Pledge against poaching”; said McCourt.

Stakeholders such as HOSPERSA, NEHAWU, South African Police Services, South African Defence Force, SANParks Honorary Rangers and the media took part at the anti-poaching edge event. Those that added their signatures to the pledge document all stood up to be counted as part of the army against poaching.

“This pledge will be hanged in one of our foyers so that it can be seen by everybody who visit our offices and must serve as a reminder for all of us who walk through every day in and out of our workplaces, that we have committed ourselves to fighting rhino poaching and wildlife crime in general. This beautiful place called the Kruger National Park and all the other National Parks are a national treasure that we should all be looking after. The country has entrusted us staff members with the responsibility as custodians of their natural heritage and we should be seen to be doing exactly that,” added McCourt.

McCourt further warned the poachers that by plundering the species in National Parks and other Protected Areas, they are selling their soul to the devil because once they get arrested for poaching; the road to freedom becomes tough to endure.

The SANParks General Manager (GM): Labour Relations & Transformation – Mr Norman Sanderson reads the Pledge to staff members and other stakeholders in attendance. With him are the SANParks Chief Operating Officer, Ms Lize McCourt (right) and SANParks Head of Human Capital Management – Ms Philiswa Mahlangu (left).

The SANParks Chief Operating Officer, Ms Lize McCourt officiated the event and was the first person to sign the Pledge, followed by the KNP Managing Executive, Mr Glenn Phillips, Head of Human Capital Management – Ms Philiswa Mahlangu (right) and GM: Labour Relations & Transformation – Mr Norman Sanderson.

Ms McCourt and Mr Sanderson present the signed Pledge document with signatures from the SANParks staff members and relevant stakeholders such as the HOSPERSA, NEHAWU, SANDF, SAPS and the SANParks Honorary Rangers

The KNP’s Voices of the Wild choir sang about conservation and rhino; giving encouragement to the Ranger Corps for the work they do

The Rangers demonstrations formed part of the event and included the anti-poaching displays, fly overs and dog unit activities.

Grade 11 learner, Innocentia Nkosi from Mshadza High School renders a poem on poaching, asking what went wrong and what drives people to poach

Issued By

South African National Parks, Kruger National Park – Communications & Marketing

Enquiries either:
William Mabasa
GM: Communication & Marketing – Kruger National Park
Tel: 013 735 4363, cell: 082 807 3919
Email: [email protected]

Isaac Phaahla
Media Specialist – SANParks
Tel: 012 426 5315, cell 083 673 6974
mail: [email protected]