In a statement on Wednesday, August 7,  South African National Parks (SANParks) said that it will gradually go cash-free from September 1 this year. They will implement a cash-free payment system in a two-phased approach with several parks implementing from the 2021-22 financial year and the remaining in 2022-23.

SANParks Chief Financial Officer Dumisani Dlamini said:  “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."

Dlamini said going cash-free is to minimize the risk associated with the handling of cash by staff as well as reduce the contact time at entry points particularly during peak times. This is a step towards environmental responsibility and promotes ease of use, visit a cash-free park today and LiveYourWild," he 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, Richtersveld and Namaqua in the Northern Cape, Wilderness and Tsitsikamma, Agulhas, West Coast in the Western Cape, Table Mountain, Tankwa Karoo,  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.

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