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Kruger Rangers Get Equipment

The Kruger National Park (KNP) Executive Director Dr Bandile Mkhize today (Tuesday September 11, 2007) accepted R428 000-worth of donated equipment on behalf of the park’s 300-strong Ranger Corps from the SANParks Honorary Rangers.



KNP Executive Director
Dr Bandile Mkhize formally
accepts one of the
Nashua Mobile-sponsored
cell phones from the
Honorary Rangers’ Ranger
Support Services Chairman
John Turner. These
cell phones formed part
of a donation of R428 000
worth of equipment that
was handed over to
the KNP Rangers today“This in my opinion shows us all something really special. It shows that there are people, organizations and companies out there who are willing to support us in the vital conservation work we do in the park every day,” he said during his speech at the hand-over event, which took place at Letaba.

SANParks Honorary Rangers were responsible for the sourcing of this equipment from various companies and officially handed over the equipment to the KNP Ranger Corps.

Equipment included torches, multi-tool knives, back packs, tents, binoculars, spotlights, water bottles, ponchos and mosquito nets, which will all be used during patrols and other vital work in the KNP.

The KNP Rangers also took delivery of high technology equipment, which included notebook computers, palmtop/GPS/cellular telephones and additional Cybertracker units for other SANParks rangers.

Rangers are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the two million hectare KNP and this is done with patrols on foot, bicycle, motorbike and vehicle patrols on the ground and with various aircraft, including the new Bantam Ultralight aircraft, which has now seen more than a year’s service.

“This is why we regard our rangers as a very important component of our staff compliment. Although tourism and stakeholder relations, which we call People and Conservation, are also important roles of South African National Parks, conservation has always remained our most important objective, and will continue to be so into the future. And it is the rangers, ladies and gentlemen, that Thin Green Line you see in front of you that remain the cornerstone of our commitment to the conservation of our precious biodiversity,” concluded Dr Mkhize.