Vocal response from community after KNP’s cell signal controversy

SKUKUZA – Kruger National Park (KNP) officials’ announcement that they are considering jamming the phone signal to stop visitors from making the locations of endangered wildlife known has led to a heated discussion on social media platforms.

This follows after a rise in online boasting allegedly not only led to wildlife being killed on the park’s roads as visitors sped to sightings reported, but also concerns that the geo-location of photographs could lead poachers to endangered animals.

Online platforms were abuzz with people divided on the issue. Even though the majority seemed to understand the reasons for the decision, the biggest concern was safety.

“I am all for saving the animals and I would like to agree, but what happens when one day you are on a drive and your car bursts into flames? Or you have a flat tire? Or an elephant charges? Or you are stuck out at a watering hole? Or you get poached? Not a very practical solution. And with today’s technology there will always be another way to hurt our animals. Not just that, you will also be taking away the moments we want to share and keep while visiting the best place on earth, KNP!” Chere Thomas said on Facebook.

Even though several people agreed with her, there were more pragmatic acceptance if this decision should be seen through.

“No different to how it was 40 years ago. Another car will come along if you are on a legal road,” said Elspeth Harvey, in response to Thomas’ post.

Currently cellphone coverage in the park is patchy, with concentrated coverage in the south of the park, and concentrated spots in the northern and central regions.

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This leaves some sizable gaps in signal in vast areas of the KNP. Park officials said poaching remained a concern. “I think people would be shocked to know that their tips on sightings are being monitored by poachers,” said Ike Phaahla, GM of communications at the KNP. “There can be terrible consequences for this technology.”

At the time of going to press the legal implication of jamming the signal in the KNP could not be confirmed. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) said in 2012 that the use of wireless signal jammers in South Africa was illegal.

“No organisation is allowed to jam cellular signals, and any device which is used to jam signal is illegal,” Icasa said at the time.

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The regulator referred to its enquiry into mobile phone telephone blocking devices in 2002, which found that there was no legitimate radio communications use for cellular jamming devices.

However it did add on February 13, 2015 that South Africa’s State Security Cluster may, in certain instances, employ signal jammers.