The South African National Parks (SANParks) says it will be going cash-free from 1 September 2021.

The cash free payment system will be implemented in two phases with several parks implementing this approach from the 2021/22 financial year and the remaining parks implementing the system in the 2022/ 23 fiscal year.

“From 1 September cash will no longer be accepted as a method of payment in some of the parks. SANParks clients will be encouraged to make use of pre-booking payment systems and or speed point payment system in parks.

“All trade and tourism activities will be cash-free and therefore cash will not be accepted,” SANParks Chief Financial Officer, Dumisani Dlamini, said.

He said while emphasise is placed on minimising the risk associated with the handling of cash by staff with the cash-free system, above all, improving customer convenience is key as the cash free payment system will reduce the contact time at entry points particularly during peak times.

“This will cut down on queueing time and increase the time for visitors to enjoy the parks,” Dlamini said.

Out of a total of 20 national parks spread across the seven provinces of the country, with the exception of KwaZulu-Natal and the North West, 12 national parks will go cash-free from 1 September 2021.

These include the Garden Route, consisting of Knysna, Wilderness and Tsitsikamma, Agulhas, Richtersveld and Namaqua in the Northern Cape, Table Mountain, Tankwa Karoo, West Coast in the Western Cape, Mountain Zebra, Camdeboo, Addo Elephant in the Eastern Cape as well as Mapungubwe in Limpopo and the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State.

“This is a step towards environmental responsibility and promotes ease of use, visit a cash free park today and #LiveYourWild,” Dlamini said.

For more information on the cash free implementation visit www.sanparks.org/tourism/tariffs/cash-free.php

Source: South African Government News Agency