There’s nothing worse than pulling up to your favourite South African National Park and standing in a ridiculously long queue. Well, SANParks has heard your cries and has decided to stop accepting cash payments in an effort to reduce waiting times.
The cash-free decision will be implemented from September 1, with several parks implementing this approach from the 2021/2022 financial year, states SA News. The remaining parks will follow suit during the course of 2023.
The COVID pandemic also appears to have played a role in the decision, as SANParks aims to reduce the risk associated with staff handling cash. The move has been characterised as a “step towards environmental responsibility,” with customer convenience and reduced waiting times additionally at the foothold of the groundbreaking move.
A total of 20 national parks across South Africa will go cash-free, including the Garden Route, consisting of Knysna, Wilderness and Tsitsikamma, Agulhas, Table Mountain, and the West Coast for the Western Cape.
View the official media release below:
Media Release: SANParks Goes Cash Free In Several National Parks https://t.co/Z0YPwJVAfh pic.twitter.com/A0appyjjV3
— SANParks (@SANParks) August 4, 2021
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