TimesLIVE reports that according to the Kruger National Park, it is closer to implementing polygraph testing on all officials and personnel dealing with endangered species such as rhino.

However, no date has yet been set for the implementation of the testing. As early as 2016, SA National Parks (SANParks) informed MPs that rangers at Kruger had to undergo compulsory lie detector tests as part of efforts to stamp out rhino poaching. But since then there has been no concrete implementation of compulsory testing. The question of polygraph testing was raised last week during a four-day oversight visit by MPs. There was acknowledgment by officials during the visit that internal corruption was one of the greatest risks, which they were looking at addressing as soon as possible. In response to questions about the introduction of polygraph testing, Kruger National Park spokesperson Ike Phaahla said on Wednesday that tests were done on all senior management of the park in 2016. “It was then discovered that proper consultation needs to be done, to officially record the tests as part of a contract between employer and employee, because the country has labour laws and employees have rights that should not be undermined,” Phaahla pointed out. A process undertaken to regularise the taking of polygraph tests has just been concluded and the executive committee has given the green light for the voluntary/compulsory taking of polygraph tests. “This means it will become one of the conditions of employment for those working for SANParks,” Phaahla said. The labour unions apparently being kept informed on the development.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at BusinessLive

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