A herd of elephants at the Numbi Gate of the Kruger National Park on 18 October 2022. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
By Abigail Baard, Nicola Amon and Tamsin Metelerkamp - 19 Dec 2024
SANParks has outlined a number of interventions in place at its 21 functional national parks in preparation for the 2024 festive season, including safety and security measures and infrastructure refurbishments. However, tourists and locals are encouraged to remain vigilant as they enjoy South Africa’s natural attractions.
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South Africa is home to stunning national parks and reserves, teeming with a wide variety of flora and fauna. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to its wild spaces during the festive season.
Much has been done to ensure a safe holiday period across many of these parks and reserves, but it remains important to practise vigilance and remember safety measures.
Daily Maverick has compiled an overview of some of these key locations, looking at what visitors should know when it comes to crime, safety and new improvements.
Click on the title to read about the key locations
Tackling security at Kruger
The Kruger National Park, the largest national park in South Africa with sections in both Limpopo and Mpumalanga, is a known poaching hotspot. There were 281 poaching incidents in the second quarter of 2024, and a further 173 between 1 October and 9 December, according to Isaac Phaahla, SANParks’ general manager for marketing and communications at the park.
However, there were no criminal incidents such as muggings, shootings or hijackings inside the park during the past year.
“Inside the park, it is fairly rare to find criminal activities that would involve visitors. Poachers operate far from tourist roads. SANParks law enforcement’s mandate is inside the park and relies on partnerships with SAPS [the South African Police Service] and private security outside to ensure tourist safety,” Phaahla explained.
When it comes to combating poaching activities, the Kruger Park has a ranger corps. Its members are trained to defend themselves within the parameters allowed by law, as they face armed insurgents who “do not respect the law”, according to Phaahla.
“We introduced technology to support the ranger efforts, like the Wide Array Radar system, smart night camera vision to take away the night from poachers, [and a] smart entrance gate camera system. We also have additional K9 units to help in the apprehension and detection.”
In December, SANParks announced that it was boosting security at the park during the festive season by:
- Enhancing surveillance at all entry gates as part of the Festive Season Crime Prevention Drive;
- Increasing spot checks of vehicles inside the park to root out contraband; and
- Increasing ranger and security services patrols.
Asked for an update on safety measures along this route, Phaahla said the Kruger Park, the private sector and local police had formed a joint operations committee and that there were regular patrols along surrounding roads.
“We advise people to be extra vigilant and to give themselves enough time to travel while there is still light,” he noted. “Reported incidents have reduced. One incident is one too many – we need to get to a point where people feel safe to drive to and from KNP.”
Daily Maverick asked the local SAPS about the frequency of criminal incidents along the R539 road over the past year, but had not received a response by the time of publishing.
Low-incident regions
At the Golden Gate National Park in the Free State there have been no contact crimes such as muggings, shootings or hijackings during the past year.
“The safety of guests in Golden Gate is always a concern. Fences and gates are constantly upgraded and security personnel are placed at critical access points. Security cameras have been reviewed and more cameras added. There is no record of theft or muggings in Golden Gate for several years,” said Reynold Thakhuli, general manager for media, events and stakeholder relations in SANParks’ Northern Region.
There had been no record of poaching incidents at the park, though poaching of antelope was possible at the park boundary, near impoverished communities.
In October 2024, the Select Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Mineral Resources expressed concern that the Golden Gate Highlands National Park was being exploited as a corridor for organised crime, allowing the transport of stolen cattle and horses from neighbouring commercial farms into Lesotho.
However, Thakhuli said this was incorrect.
“No incident occurred nor was reported on. A committee simply identified that the proximity of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park to the Lesotho border puts it at risk of being a corridor to crime. The greatest crime risk in the vicinity is cattle theft, and the park rangers work closely with all other related law enforcement agencies, and often carry out joint operations to combat this crime,” he said.
“The park has also accommodated the SANDF [South African National Defence Force] inside park accommodation for many years to be an active deterring presence and to patrol the border with Lesotho.”
The SANParks Frontier Region encompasses the Addo Elephant National Park, Camdeboo National Park, Karoo National Park and Mountain Zebra National Park. During the previous festive season, from mid-December 2023 to mid-January 2024, these parks had about 48,000 visitors.
According to Fayroush Ludick, SANParks’ regional communications manager for the Frontier Region, there haven’t been any contact crimes such as muggings, shootings or hijackings in these parks during the past year.
“We don’t have concerning cases of theft and muggings. That said, one must also be vigilant of criminal elements as this is a known South African challenge,” Ludick noted.
“The only form of poaching we have seen relates to subsistence poaching by members of communities living on the boundaries of national parks. There are also cases of small snares set up in the hope of snagging a small animal for a meal.”
SANParks’ safety and security strategy in the Frontier Region includes the deployment of technology, staff increases and collaborations with K9 dog units, according to Ludick. It also has the capacity to deploy aerial support from SANParks’ airwing if necessary.
“In addition, our ranger corps do daily checks of our fence lines.”
The parks that fall under SANParks’ Arid Region are the Augrabies Falls, Kgalagadi, Mokala, Namaqua and |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld national parks.
The parks in this region “are not and have not ever been a safety concern during the festive season”, according to Genevieve Maasdorp, SANParks regional communications manager for the region.
Tacking security in the Western Cape
The Table Mountain National Park is open-access and has thousands of entry points across the Cape Peninsula.
“This makes the park accessible for visitor enjoyment but also gives an opportunity to criminals. Crimes which do occur in parks are the result of spillover of urban crime into the national park and occur on a much smaller scale than the same crimes in the city,” said JP Louw, head of communications and spokesperson for SANParks.
In the past year the Table Mountain National Park saw 48 robberies, and arrests were made for four of them after action by SANParks. This is markedly down from the 129 cases in the same period in 2023.
There were 34 marine poaching incidents in the park this year, with nine arrests after action by SANParks. Terrestrial poaching incidents sit at 36, and include poaching of plants, bark stripping and snaring.
“TMNP has appointed additional field rangers [and] established a specialised Sea-Air-Mountain (SEAM) unit and Operations Centre which engages in targeted operations to reduce visitor and environmental crime (poaching). We are currently undergoing recruitment to expand the SEAM unit,” Louw said.
“We collaborate with SAPS and the City of Cape Town law enforcement in joint operations, and as part of the Table Mountain Safety Forum, we collaborate with tourism entities such as Cape Town Tourism and tour operators to spread awareness about safe visits to TMNP (including safety brochures).”
The Agulhas National Park in the southern Overberg region of the Western Cape saw no contact crimes such as muggings, shootings or hijackings during the past year. However, there were three joint operations related to poaching in the park that led to three arrests in March and two in December.
“Rangers conduct operations/patrols focusing on curbing poaching within the region.
“The ranger corps have initiated a festive season security plan for Cape Agulhus. This is done together with other law enforcement divisions from the various government departments that are mandated with area integrity management spanning from De Dam in the West to the southernmost point and eastward within their respective jurisdictional boundaries.”
The Garden Route National Park has had four theft incidents during the past year. Rangers recovered some of the stolen items with help from the police, according to Phokela Lebea, SANParks’ regional communications manager for the Garden Route.
“In the Garden Route National Park theft and mugging are very infrequent and therefore one should always be cautious as it may not be determined when [it] may happen,” Lebea told Daily Maverick.
“Garden Route National Park rangers are deployed 24 hours within the park, whereby they conduct regular inspections in assurance of the visitors’ safety and security. [There is] effective collaboration with the neighbouring stakeholders, security companies, SAPS, [Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment], CapeNature, SANDF and the surrounding community members.”
Mountain safety post-Covid
Many safety incidents that occur among hikers in the South African wilderness can be attributed to accidents or a lack of preparation for the conditions on the mountain.
Since the end of the Covid-19 lockdown, Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) has seen “a considerable increase in the number of call-outs”, according to David Nel, spokesperson for the organisation. WSAR is a network of government agencies and civilian volunteer organisations that partner in search and rescue operations, largely in the Western Cape.
The number of Wilderness Search and Rescue incidents in the Western Cape per month between 2015 and 2024 show that more accidents traditionally occur between December and March. (Source: Wilderness Search and Rescue)
Traditionally, WSAR’s busiest months are between December and March. The most common incidents they are called out for include falls (42%), people getting stuck (18%) or growing tired (9%).
“It’s clear that during summer many outdoor enthusiasts still underestimate the effect that warmer conditions have during physical activity, with hot weather conditions contributing to 36% of all incidents,” Nel said.
Table Mountain National Park sees the most incidents, accounting for 57% across Western Cape nature reserves between 2015 and 2024.
“Routes onto the mountain are so easily accessible. Mountain users do not plan or take the appropriate precautions, they overestimate their abilities and underestimate the steep mountainous terrain,” Nel said. “As a result we see that the significant majority of annual incidents occur on Table Mountain and Lion’s Head.”
WSAR safety tips for hot-weather wilderness activities include:
Starting early;
- Avoiding the hottest hours of the day (12pm to 3pm);
- Staying in the shade and/or near water where possible;
- Dressing appropriately, wearing light-colour, breathable, UPF-rated clothing
- Wearing a hat and applying sunblock often; and
- Carrying at least 500ml of water for every hour you intend to be outdoors
Nel encouraged hikers to research their intended trail and hire a guide where necessary. They should walk in a group, tell someone where they’re going and stick to the path.
The WSAR emergency number is 021 937 0300.
Wildlife safety
When exploring South Africa’s diverse natural landscape it is important to keep in mind the animals that occupy it. For example, within the Cape region baboons are a common feature within the national parks and along the urban fringe.
When people come across baboons they should keep their distance and not engage with them, feed them or tease them, said Louw. Furthermore, they should not display food in their cars or on their person when baboons are nearby. “Allow them to engage in their natural behaviour in the natural areas of the Cape Peninsula.”
Another animal tourists should not approach is the Cape fur seal. Rabies has been identified in the species this year, says Luke Folb, communications officer at CapeNature. If infected by rabies, these seals may display aggressive behaviour. Rabies can be transmitted through bites, scratches or direct contact with saliva, according to CapeNature.
“The public is urged to stay away from seals and do not attempt to touch or engage with them. Swimmers and surfers must remain extra vigilant while in the sea. If a seal is spotted, exit the water immediately and report it to the lifeguards or municipal authorities,” it said.
It also highlighted that “any activities that disturb seals are illegal, according to the NEMBA (National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act) TOPS (Threatened or Protected Species) regulations” if one does not have a permit.
“These activities include petting as it disturbs the animal’s natural behaviour and exposes individuals to potential dangers, including bites and scratches.”
Male lions in the Kruger National Park. (Photo: Gallo Images / Chris Daphne)
Park improvements
Early this year, SANParks announced there would be R700-million allocated to fund high-impact projects, including infrastructure upgrades in the Table Mountain National Park’s Tokai Precinct, said Louw. This initiative “aims to unlock public-private partnership opportunities”.
Furthermore, the Lighthouse Precinct at the Cape Agulhus National Park was under construction and would be launched in the first quarter of 2025.
In September, CapeNature announced the launch of its new slow overnight coastal hiking trail, the Damara Trail, in the De Mond Nature Reserve, Folb told Daily Maverick. This 16.5km, two-day overnight trail starts in De Mond and ends in Waenhuiskrans/Arniston.
In the northern parts of the country, the Kruger Park has renovated some units in most of its rest camps and bladed most of its gravel roads in preparation for the many visitors expected during the festive season, according to Phaahla.DM
Emergency Numbers
Western Cape
Wilderness Search and Rescue: 021 937 0300
SANParks: 086 110 6417
SAPS: 10111 (021 10111 on mobile)
Cape Town Emergency Services: +27 (0)21 480 7700
Table Mountain National Park Emergency Number: 086 110 6417
Mpumalanga
Kruger Emergency Call Centre: 013 735 4325
To report rhino poaching at Kruger National Park call Stop Rhino Poaching at 076 801 9679
