Kruger National Park Warns Against Tampering with Closed Roads

Pretoria: South African National Parks (SANParks) has issued a stern warning to visitors of Kruger National Park, cautioning against the removal of 'no entry' signs and the unauthorized use of closed roads, actions which could result in fines and increased risks. According to South African Government News Agency, Kruger National Park management expressed their concerns on Wednesday about the growing trend of visitors disregarding road closures. This disregard has led to incidents where visitors remove warning signs and access closed roads, only to find themselves stranded, thereby necessitating emergency interventions by rangers and other essential teams. SANParks emphasized that while preserving human lives remains a priority during emergencies, visitors who intentionally open closed roads and become stranded may be fined under the relevant regulations. These actions also contravene the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act No. 57 of 2003) and mislead other visitors into potenti ally dangerous situations by using illegally opened roads. The situation has escalated to a point where the park's resources are significantly taxed by search and rescue operations. SANParks reported that the operational impact includes costs related to fuel, road repairs, and the diversion of rangers and air services from their core conservation duties. Additionally, tourists driving on closed roads exacerbate damage to the existing infrastructure, increase maintenance costs, and delay road reopening after adverse weather conditions. In typical incidents involving missing tourists, SANParks deploys a minimum of four ranger vehicles and eight rangers to conduct searches, which strains the park's limited resources and increases operational costs. Such actions also cause distress among camp staff awaiting the guests, and among the guests' families when contact cannot be established due to limited network coverage in the park. Once a tourist is reported missing, the Mission Area Joint Operation Centre (MAJOC) initiates a search, utilizing information from camera detection systems and coordinating with ranger sections. Depending on the situation, SANParks aircraft may also be deployed to assist in locating the missing individuals.