KNP rangers appear in court for rhino poaching

BUSHBUCKRIDGE – Two SANParks rangers, Sibusiso Mahlaule (26) and Enous Mabunda (44) were arrested in Skukuza for alleged rhino poaching early on Saturday. They were found in possession of four rhino horns with an estimated value of R2 million.

The suspects appeared in the local Magistrate’s Court yesterday facing charges of rhino poaching. The case was postponed to Wednesday 22 June and is to be held at the Skukuza periodical court.

South African National Parks (SANParks) confirmed that the poachers are field rangers in the Nwanedzi Ranger Section of the Kruger National Park (KNP).

“The arrest of the rangers was the culmination of an extensive follow-up operation conducted after a poached rhino carcass, with horns removed, was located by the Nwanedzi rangers on June 16,” said the CEO of SANParks, Mr Fundisile Mketeni.

This arrest follows closely on the suspension of two field rangers attached to the Special Operations unit in Skukuza on June 8, as well as the arrest of a field ranger based at Satara, and a technical services supervisor based at Skukuza, the following day. Both arrested employees have already appeared in court.

Mketeni said, “We are constantly on alert and that is what led to the arrests of these individuals. The suspensions and arrests are the result of on-going investigations by SANParks into rhino-poaching activities in the KNP, and we therefore would like to congratulate the KNP Rangers, SANParks Environmental Crime Investigation unit and South African Police Service for doing a good job and remind them that this is a battle we cannot afford to lose,” Mketeni concluded.

While the problem of rhino poaching is escalating and poachers are being tried in court, the minister for environmental affairs, Ms Edna Molewa met with representatives from private rhino owners last week, represented by the Private Rhino Owners Association and Wildlife Ranching South Africa to discuss issues of mutual concern around rhino conservation in South Africa.

Both parties agreed on the need for greater cooperation in battling the challenge faced by rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn.

Private rhino owners laid bare the detrimental effect poaching has had on private reserves.

Currently approximately 33 per cent of all rhino in South Africa are found in the private sector, with some 6 200 rhino on 330 reserves.

One of the areas probed in the meeting was the need to explore incentives for private rhino owners to keep rhino to halt further disinvestment.

Private rhino owners indicated that the rise in rhino poaching has led to disinvestment from rhino conservation, owing mainly to the escalating security costs being incurred.

Molewa provided an overview of the current legislative, enforcement and compliance regime and progress towards the implementation of the integrated permitting system among other things. This does not include permits for legal trade in rhino horn.

• The minister filed an application for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court to reinstate the moratorium on the domestic trade in rhino horn on June 6.