S. African parks to implement polygraph testing testing to tackle poaching

Johannesburg, S.A. | Xinhua | The South African National Parks (SANParks), a body responsible for managing national parks in the country, said on Thursday that they are in the process of developing a standard operating procedure to implement the recently approved polygraph testing policy to combat criminal activities by its employees.

SANParks said their board approved the polygraph testing policy on Nov. 22 after extensive consultation with relevant experts, including experts on labor law.

“It is accordingly important to appreciate that polygraph testing is not the answer to prevent staff involvement in criminality but is a tool that needs to be used as part of the toolkit with a full understanding of its benefits and limitations,” said Rey Thakhuli, a manager at the SANParks.

The move follows a pilot study that was done on rangers in the Kruger National Park, and the polygraph testing policy is one of the many initiatives that SANParks uses to deter employees from participating in criminal activity, Thakhuli said.

Recently, some rangers and their relatives were arrested after it was uncovered that they supplied criminals with information to facilitate poaching for payment.

SANParks said they have many other interventions to tackle poaching, which include using helicopters, using technology, dehorning the rhinos, and relying on people staying next to the parks to report suspicious movement.