PRETORIA – Mr John Hume, a rhino farmer with a large stockpile of horn to trade with, is now eagerly awaiting the office of the minister of environmental affairs to process his permit to legally start trading.
Mr Izak du Toit, his attorney, told Lowvelder that Hume had already applied for a permit before the recent two court cases to uphold a seven-year ban on the domestic trade in rhino horn.
Last Friday South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed a government bid to uphold this ban.
Any South African with a government- approved permit can now legally sell and buy rhino horn and products within the country’s boundaries.
“We believe we will succeed. We adhere to all the requirements,” said Du Toit.
Hume is South Africa’s farmer with the most rhinos in his bomas. Du Toit said they believed the minister would still come to her senses and revise her decision to not apply to Cites during their September meeting in Johannesburg to lift the international ban on trade.
Activists fighting to save rhinos feel strongly that this decision of the court sounds the death knell for SA rhinos.
According to a study of 2013/14 commissioned by the minister the South African market in rhino horn is worth R95 million per year.
The Private Rhino Owners Association (PROA) estimated that approximately 5 000 rhinos are privately owned. PROA’s estimation of their members’ stockpile is six tons while figures for the government’s run more to 25 tons. They think the market would consist of investors or Vietnamese South Africans who might want to put it to use for cultural practices.
“I think there are thousands and thousands of Vietnamese in South Africa,” said Du Toit.
Ms Linda Joyce from Unite Against Poaching said the organisation was of the opinion that the finding of the court put the minister and the government in a very difficult position.
“The decision to lift the ban inside the borders of South Africa stand in direct contrast to the minister’s decision not to apply to Cites for the international ban on rhino trade to be lifted. The two work against each other,” said Joyce. “The decision of the court whichever way you look at it, is a shocker. This is really bad news for our rhinos in the wild.” She was outspoken on how it would influence the future of these animals. “It creates a chasm into which rhino horn will just disappear. The market will be flooded by opportunists. This is only about money.”
Dr Morné du Plessis, CEO of WWF SA, explained that he understands why the department introduced a moratorium on the national trade of rhino horn in 2009.
“We also understand that the original court finding was that the process of arriving at that moratorium was lacking in public participation, as opposed to making judgement on the specific merits of the case. This finding has now been upheld by the Supreme Court.”
He said rhino poaching levels were unlikely to respond to the lifting of the moratorium on national trade, unless the latter introduced an illegal international stream of rhino horn.
“Theoretically this should not be possible, bearing in mind that all possession or movement of rhino horn will require permits from the Department of Environmental Affairs.
Anyone found in possession of horns without permits can be fined up to R10 million or sentenced to up to 10 years in prison,” said Du Plessis.
Spokesman for environmental affairs, Ms Eleanor Momberg, said the minister was still being advised by her legal team and would make an announcement in due course.
