Des sent me a note about photographers being harassed by rangers in the protected areas around and on Table Mountain.

The SA National Parks website has very distinct rules about commercial photography or filming in any of the protected areas under their control. Please refer to the SANP website policy on photography. They do also have annual permits available

SANParks regional (Western Cape) spokeswoman Merle Collins said taking photographs for personal use or for newspapers was permitted. Merle is also quoted in the following forum post on ClimbZA.

In terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (57/2003) GG 28181, GNR 1061, Part 5 Section 50: Regulations 20 (1) A person may not undertake any of the following activities in a special nature reserve, national park or world heritage site except pursuant to a license, permit or agreement and subject to the payment of the appropriate fees between that person, or some other person, and the management authority:

(a) the filming and simultaneous transmitting of photographic images by the use of a web cam or other image recording or transmitting device
(b) the conducting of tours
(c) the conducting or any kind of competition
(d) the selling or hiring goods or offering goods for sale or hire; or
(e) the provision of, or offering to provide, any service for a fee or reward; or
(f) the conducting of speed trials; or
(g) the conducting of research
(h) an activity of any kind for the purpose of fund raising, personal gain or making a profit
(i) any organized or special event, including sporting or cultural events: or
(j) visual imaging of animals for purposes of any virtual hunting or other such activity

For clarity – in terms of the Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003, any photographer providing or offering their services for a fee or reward in Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) needs a permit to do so, as does anyone taking photographs in TMNP for the purpose of fund raising, personal gain or making a profit. Vanessa Fletcher is our Permitting Officer and may be contacted on 021 7018692 or vanessaf@sanparks.org in this regard. The rangers are required to approach anyone they suspect of photographing for monetary gain/commercial purposes, irrespective of the size or model of camera used especially if such an activity could have negative effects on the site and its’ visitors.

Anyone therefore setting up sets, props or scenery for photography or filming, or seen using specialized equipment that is not normally carried by visitors on holiday or for private use, or anyone acting in a way that is not normal for a regular visitor or site-seer taking images for home use will be checked by the rangers. If the person with the camera has a reasonable explanation and his/her actions reflect this explanation, no further action will be taken.

Amateur photographers can expect to be approached by rangers on duty and if they feel they would be sensitive to such an approach then they are welcome to obtain a free annual or once off permit from the TMNP Permitting Officer (vanessaf@sanparks.org or 021 7018692) which they can show to the Rangers when approached.
Please remember that there are commercial operators out there operating illegally who cause damage to the environment and rangers need to be consistent and check on every one. Of course if we establish that a photographer is operating illegally in the TMNP in terms of the relevant legislation then we will be left with no other option but to seek further relief (warnings, fines, arrests, confiscation of equipment etc).
Over and above administering usage and visitors, management has both national and international mandates to manage the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) as a National Park and World Heritage Site with respect to conserving this precious and threatened eco-system and globally recognised biodiversity hotspot. The task falls to management to accommodate users while protecting the natural environment so that it can be managed in a sustainable manner taking into to account the enjoyment of future generations and not only current users. Park management strives to ensure that areas that lend themselves to recreational usage are used in a way that impacts on the environment and other users as little as possible.

Merle Collins (Mrs)
Regional Communications Manager: Cape Region *
South African National Parks (SANParks)

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Chas.