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About SANParks

MANUAL

Prepared in terms of Section 14 of

The Promotion of Access to information Act, 2000 (Act 2 of 2000)

for

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARKS (SANParks)

PARTICULARS IN TERMS OF SECTION 14

A The functions and structure of South African National Parks (SANParks) [Section 14(1)(a)]

i. The function of SANParks

The function of SANParks as prescribed by section 55 of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act No. 57 of 2003 is to protect, conserve and control the national parks and other protected areas assigned to it and to manage those areas in accordance with the act.

ii. A schematic diagram of the structure of SANParks

 

 iii. The structure of SANParks

SANParks consists of a Head Office that is situated in Groenkloof, Pretoria and twenty two national parks. Details of the various national parks are available on the SANParks website www.sanparks.org and at central reservations.

The Board of SANParks is made up of 9 to 12 members inlcuding the Chairperson, as well as Chief Executive of SANParks and the Director-General of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. All members are appointed for a 3 year term.

iv. Board of SANParks as at May 2006

The South African National Park’s Board is the highest decision-making body of SANParks and is appointed by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

Members of the Board 

1. Ms. C Carolus (Chairperson)

2. Dr.  Nombasa Tsengwa

3. Dr. Robert Scholes

4. Ms. Mantuka Maisela

5. Mr. Murphy Morobe

6. Mr. Zakhele Sithole

7. Prof. Willem van Riet

8. Ms. Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo

9. Ms. Yoliswa Makhasi

10. Mr. Fundisile Mketeni (in capacity as DEAT representative)

11. Dr. David Mabunda (in capacity as CEO SANParks)

12. Ms. Nombulelo Hlolinhlanhla Mkumane (in capacity as SANParks CFO)

 SANParks Executive Management

The Board performs its functions through the various departments headed by the Chief Executive, Dr. D Mabunda. The Executive Directors and Heads of Departments handle the day-to-day management of the organisation.

 

Dr David Mabunda

Chief Executive

Sydney Soundy

Chief Operating Officer

Pauline van der Spuy

Executive Manager to the CE

Dr Isidore Bandile Mkhize

Executive Director: Kruger National Park  

Nombulelo Mkhumane

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Glenn Phillips

Executive Director: Tourism Development and Marketing

Paul Daphne

Executive Director: Parks

Dr Hector Magome

 

Executive Director: Conservation Services

Dr Razeena Wagiet

Executive Director: People & Conservation

Vacant

Head: Human Resources

Wanda Mkutshulwa

Head: Corporate Communications

Hannes Combrink

Head: Corporate Services

Lisa Hopkinson

Senior Legal Advisor

B. Contact details [Section 14(1)(b)]

Information officer:

 Dr. David Mabunda
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 012 426 5000
Fax: 012 343 9959

Deputy information officer:
Ms Pauline van der Spuy
Executive Manager to the CE
Tel: (012) 426-5000
Fax: (012) 434 9959

General information:

 Address: SANParks

643 Leyds Street

Muckleneuk

PRETORIA

Postal address: SANParks

P O Box 787

PRETORIA , 0001

SOUTH AFRICA

Telephone: (012) 426-5000

Fax: (012) 343-0155

Website: www.sanparks.org

Pretoria central reservations:

Tel: (012) 428-9111

Fax: (012) 343-0905

C. The section 10 Guide on how to use the Act [Section 14(1)(c)]

 The guide is available from the South African Human Rights Commission.

D. Access to the records held by SANParks [Section 14(1)(d)]

i. Automatic disclosures [Section 14(1)(e)]

A notice in terms of section 15(2) describes the categories of record of SANParks that are available without a person having to request access in terms of the Act. No notice in terms of section 15(2) has been issued to date.

Voluntary disclosures:

SANParks publications
  • “Go Wild” – internal staff newsletter
  • “Koedoe” – Scientific Journal
  • Annual Report.
  • Brochures on national parks and facilities –obtainable from reservations.

ii. Records that may be requested [Section 14(1)(d)]

Description of the subjects of records held by SANParks:
  • Records required in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act No. 57 of 2003 and the Regulations published in terms of that Act
  • Records in terms of other legislation applicable to SANParks
  • Services offered by SANParks
  • Clients of SANParks
  • Research conducted
  • Annual Reports
  • Operational reports
  • Records of meetings
  • Policies
  • Employment records and other related records
  • asset register
  • Financial records
  • Strategic and management plans
  • Records of workshops and conferences attended
  • Papers presented
  • Archive material

Description of the categories of records held by SANParks:

  • Confidential
  • Personal
  • Commercial
  • Financial
  • Statutory
  • Legal
  • Historical

iii. The request procedures

A requester must be given access to a record of a public body if the requester complies with the following:

 

        • The requester complies with all the procedural requirements of the Act relating to the request for access to that record; and
        • Access to that record is not refused on any ground of refusal mentioned in the Act.

Nature of the request:

  • A requester must use the form that has been printed in the Government Gazette [Govt. Notice R187- 15 February 2002 Form A].
  • The requester must also indicate if the request is for a copy of the record or if the requester wants to come in and look at the record at the offices of the public body. Alternatively if the record is not a document it can then be viewed in the requested form, where possible [s 29(2)].
  • If a person asks for access in a particular form then the requester should get access in the manner that has been asked for. This is unless doing so would interfere unreasonably with the running of the public body concerned, or damage the record, or infringe a copyright not owned by the state. If for practical reasons access cannot be given in the required form but in an alternate matter, then the fee must be calculated according to the way that the requester first asked for it [s 29(3) and (4)].
  • If, in addition to a written reply to their request for the record, the requester wants to be told about the decision in any other way, e.g. telephone, this must be indicated [s 18(2)(e)].
  • If a requester is asking for the information on behalf of somebody else, the capacity in which the request is being made should be indicated [s 18(2)(f)].
  • If a requester is unable to read or write, or has a disability, then they can make the request for the record orally. The information officer must then fill in the form on behalf of such a requester and give them a copy [s 18(3)].

There are two types of fees required to be paid in terms of the Act, being the request fee and the access fee s22:

A requester who seeks access to a record containing personal information about that requester is not required to pay the request fee. Every other requester, who is not a personal requester, must pay the required request fee:

  • The information officer must notify the requester (other than a personal requester) by notice, requiring the requester to pay the prescribed fee (if any) before further processing the request.
  • The request fee payable to public bodies is R35. The requester may lodge an internal appeal, where appropriate, or an application to the court against the tender or payment of the request fee.
  • After the information officer has made a decision on the request the requester must be notified of such a decision in the way in which the requester wanted to be notified in.
  • If the request is granted then a further access fee must be paid for the search, preparation, reproduction and for any time that has exceeded the prescribed hours to search and prepare the record for disclosure.

E. Services available [Section 14(1)(f)]

i. Nature of services

SANParks provides accommodation and day visit services in national parks to members of the public.

ii. How to gain access to these services

To gain access to the services of SANParks use can be made of the central reservation service at:

Pretoria central reservations:

Tel: (012) 428-9111

Fax: (012) 343-0905

Day visits can generally be arranged at the entrance gates to national parks. In peak and other times limitations are placed on the number of day visitors allowed into national parks and prospective visitors are urged to make prior reservations to avoid disappointment. Further details can also be found on the SANParks Website at:

www.sanparks.org

The Chief Executive of SANParks: Dr. D Mabunda

Address:

SANParks

643 Leyds Street

Muckleneuk

PRETORIA

 

Postal address:

SANParks

P O Box 787

PRETORIA , 0001

SOUTH AFRICA

Telephone: (012) 426-5000

Fax: (012) 343-0155

F. Arrangements allowing for public involvement in the formulation of policy and the exercise of power[Section 14(1)(g)]

 At SANParks, such arrangements for public involvement would include:

Nomination of members of the Board - in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act members of the public can nominate persons for appointment to the Board and be so nominated.

Public participation in terms of environmental laws - the public may participate in all environmental impact assessment processes SANParks is required to undertake by law.

G. The remedies available if the provisions of this Act are not complied with [Section 14(1)(h)]  

SANParks does not have an internal appeal procedure. The courts will have to be approached in such instance. This would apply to any situation in which the requester wishes to appeal a decision made by the information officer.

H. Other information as prescribed in terms of the Act [Section 14(1)(i)]

There is currently no information available from the Minister in terms of section 92 to be placed here.

I. Updating of the manual [Section 14(2)]

SANParks must, if necessary, update and publish its manual referred to in subsection (1) of section 14, at intervals of not more than a year.

J. Availability of the manual [Section 14(3)]

Regulation 187 of 15 February 2002 prescribes in section 4(1) that the manual of a public body must be made available in the following manner:

A copy of the manual in each of the three official languages used will be available at every place of legal deposit as defined in section 6 of the Legal Deposits Act, 1997, the SANParks Head Office and at the office of the Head of each National Park.

The manual is available on the SANParks website.

K. Exemption by the Minister from any provision of this section for a determined period [Section 14(5)]

For security, administrative of financial reasons, the Minister may, on request or of his or her own accord by notice in the Gazette, exempt any public body or category of public bodies from any provision of this section for such period as the Minister thinks fit. No such exemption applies to SANParks