South Africa’s Kruger park rangers to strike

Rangers at South Africa’s Kruger National Park will launch a strike over wages Friday, a spokesman said, despite a rhino poaching crisis that has hit a record scale.

“It is indeed unfortunate that our rangers have decided to go on strike at the time when we are at the peak of our war against rhino poachers,” said William Mabasa said Thursday.

A total of 361 rangers, including staff responsible for the park’s ecological protection, will participate in the strike.

According to Mabasa, police and soldiers would be called in to provide security inside the popular safari park, stretching over two million hectares, “to reinforce our efforts as far as security and anti-poaching are concerned”, said Mabasa.

More than half of the record 450 rhinos killed across South Africa last year were from the Kruger National Park, according to authorities. Their horns are reputed to have medicinal properties.

Last year the park beefed up security in a bid to curb the killings, with soldiers deployed to assist rangers.

“No striker will be allowed to cause disruptions at any of the work stations in the park,” said Mabasa.

It was unclear Thursday how long the rangers intended to strike.