The South African National Parks (SANParks) says it will be going cash-free from 1 September 2021.
\nThe 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.
\n\u201cFrom 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.
\n\u201cAll trade and tourism activities will be cash-free and therefore cash will not be accepted,\u201d SANParks Chief Financial Officer, Dumisani Dlamini, said.
\nHe 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.
\n\u201cThis will cut down on queueing time and increase the time for visitors to enjoy the parks,\u201d Dlamini said.
\nOut 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.
\nThese 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.
\n\u201cThis is a step towards environmental responsibility and promotes ease of use, visit a cash free park today and #LiveYourWild,\u201d Dlamini said.
\nFor more information on the cash free implementation visit www.sanparks.org\/tourism\/tariffs\/cash-free.php<\/p>\n
Source: South African Government News Agency<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"