First introduced in 2016 as a pilot project, South African national parks organisation SANParks informed yesterday that lie detector examinations will be made compulsory for some workers working in South Africa’s national parks in a bid to fight unchecked wildlife poaching.
This measure was taken following the involvement of some employees of these parks in acts of poaching in complicity with poachers, leading to the disappearance of the rhino population.
South Africa is home to almost 80% of the world’s rhinos, but with a high rate of rhino poaching. According to government statistics, nearly 470 rhinos were poached across the country between April 2021 and March 2022.
Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said earlier, in response to a question from a political party, that the policy will come into effect from early next year.