Ex-ranger tells of SANParks ‘irregularities’

A FORMER SA National Parks (SANParks) employee Alfrido Dixon, who was based within Table Mountain National Parks as a ranger, has called out his ex-employer for alleged mismanagement of the Rhodes Memorial Dam reservoir.

In a Facebook post, Dixon stated that he was unfairly dismissed. “I lost my job because I exposed management after muggings and people drowning at Rhodes memorial dam.”

Dixon alleged that the area manager was involved with issuing of permits to his friends and told them they must not worry about SANParks officials, he would sort them out, “if we give them a hard time”.

“He then opened the Rhodes memorial dam without making sure it was safe…” Dixon said.

He said they went on anti-poaching operations without the necessary equipment like firearms and bulletproofing.

Dixon said a young man from Athlone drowned at the dam while SANParks was busy with a tendering process for turnstile gates at the dam which was unsafe as it had gabions at the bottom, “so if you get stuck in the wire you drown”.

SANParks regional general manager, Norman Johnson said Dixon’s dismissal was due to his failure to adhere to SANParks procedures on social media engagements and failure to make use of mandatory grievance procedures.

He said Dixon’s statement had put the organisation in disrepute. Dixon said he had put posts on the SANParks page to get help from the public.