New film honours Mzimba’s life
The conservation community in Hoedspruit attended the premiere of the documentary, Rhino Man, a film honouring murdered ranger Anton Mzimba, in Hoedspruit on Thursday last week.
The film is directed by Matt Lindenberg of Global Conservation Corps (GCC), and John Jurko, and shows the life of game rangers in their war against poaching. It is dedicated to the late Anton Mzimba, the head ranger at Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, who was murdered, as well as Martin Mthembu, an instructor for new rangers in the Kruger National Park, who died in a car accident.
Both the Mthembu and Mzimba families attended the premiere. Grace Nyathi and Agnes Lebesa, Mazimba’s wives, said the film is overwhelming seeing their husband on screen, yet a wonderful moment. “Our husband was a kind man, and we are not shocked to see how much he loved his work as a ranger, he gave his life to protect wildlife, and we love him for that,” they said. Orlat Ndlovu, the current head ranger at Timbavati, said Mzimba taught him to believe in himself.
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“He told me he saw something good in me. I was working at a mine, and although mines paid much better than what I am earning now, I immediately resigned to join him when he called.” He said Mzimba was his role model who inspired him. “I will never be him, but I will follow in his footsteps,” he said.
Lindenberg said that Mzimba always said rangers are buying time for conservation. He said it was Mzimba’s dream to connect young people with conservation and that the film is an investment into the next generation. The film took seven years to make and shows how rangers are recruited and the lengths they go to protect wildlife.
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It also shows the threats Mzimba received before he was murdered in July 2022. No one has been arrested in connection with his death. Rhino Man will be available on AppleTV, Amazon, Google Play, Vimeo On Demand, and Vudu from July 26.
