Stakeholders

Below is an overview of our stakeholders, including the impact, nature of engagement, and their key expectations.

Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)

The DEA is the government department charged with the management of our national parks and the protection of their fauna and flora. SANParks is a structure of the DEA and we are bound by their policies and procedures with regards to all engagement taking place through SANParks. The DEA has given SANParks Honorary Rangers the mandate to continue supporting and raising funds for SANParks.

SANParks

SANParks manages a system of national parks that represents the indigenous fauna, flora, landscapes and associated cultural heritage of the country. Most of the national parks have overnight tourist facilities with an unrivalled variety of accommodation in arid, coastal, mountain and savannah habitats.

We operate in accordance with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SANParks that specifies our right to use the SANParks brand and logo, access to national parks, key activities, and the process by which the MOU is managed and monitored.

The key expectations of SANParks Honorary Rangers:

Increased financial and in-kind support to SANParks
Adherence to SANParks and SANParks Honorary Rangers policies and standards
The highest level of integrity, good governance and a clean audit
Strict control over – and accountability for – donor funds
Management of all park-related activities and duties through the wish list system
Transformation of SANParks Honorary Rangers to be more representative in its volunteers, patrons, and leadership, as well as its procurement policies and skills development.

Member Engagement

Our 2,000-plus members engage with each other primarily through regional and national project meetings, held regularly, either monthly or quarterly. Webinars are held twice a month and additional member feedback sessions are also held as needed. Regional and national project chairpersons meet with the Exco on a regular basis on matters to be communicated to members. Cluster meetings are held where members are invited to participate in discussions and decision-making. Our annual Indaba and AGM also provide an opportunity for members from all regions to engage and share knowledge.

A key focus area of the Exco and the RMCs is the recruitment and development of new members to reflect the demographic of South Africa more accurately.

Donors and Sponsors

Donors include the public, our members, businesses, corporates, and trusts. Donations made in cash or in kind fund the SANParks wish lists.

We recognise two main groups of donors:

Individuals

These are people who have an interest in conservation or simply love the wilderness experience our parks provide. Monies are raised from activities such as birding days and bush camps, from purchasing of merchandise or through direct donations.

Corporates and Charitable Trusts

These are entities who choose us as their trusted partner for conservation donations. Donations are made directly to us or by way of a product endorsement agreement.

Key expectations are:

Funds are used for the purpose for which they were donated.
Regular feedback on the use of donations
Accountability, integrity, and good governance
Recognition from SANParks and SANParks Honorary Rangers
Involvement from the correct level of SANParks and SANParks Honorary Rangers
Stability within SANParks Honorary Rangers management
Public acknowledgement of their donation
Timeous use of their donation
A strategic fit with the donor brand

Communities

These are the communities adjacent to our national parks and include informal settlements, farmers, businesses, and suburbs. This is an increasing area of focus and we are currently engaged in several community-engagement projects that are both educational and financially beneficial to the communities that surround our parks. The SANParks Junior Honorary Rangers, Interpretation and Public Education and Awareness Projects also play a big role.

Conservation and other NGOs

We work closely with several of the major conservation and related NGOs in South Africa.

Engagement includes cooperation with projects and fundraising events in national parks and other matters of common concern.

Media

We are in touch with a number of media companies in South Africa. We have a dedicated Exco portfolio which manages these relationships and ensures that media activity is coordinated with the SANParks media team.