MBOMBELA – Joseph Nyalunga, better known as Big Joe, cuts an imposing figure. The former police officer has been in the news for years over charges relating to rhino poaching.
He has also made headlines with his treatment of the reporters covering his high-profile court appearances. Some of these alleged acts of intimidation, threats and physical violence sometimes do not make headlines.
Jana Boshoff’s case did, in April 2013. Nyalunga allegedly attacked the journalist of Middelburg Observer inside the local court during one of his appearances.
Nyalunga was accused, together with 12 others, of crimes relating to rhino horn smuggling. These included the buying of protected wildlife, money laundering, drug possession, housebreaking, house robbery, employing illegal immigrants, for providing assistance to illegal immigrants, possession of stolen property, theft and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Boshoff remembered the day well. She told Lowvelder that Nyalunga had been arrested at a roadblock in Middelburg.
He was standing in the dock, wearing a hoodie, and covering his face with a piece of paper. She walked around his attorney and snapped the picture. He tried to smack her, but missed, hit her over the nose with the piece of paper and then got hold of her camera strap and pulled her closer. She shouted, “No”, and he let go.
“I think he was mad because he didn’t want me to take a photo of him. I got a very big fright, and realised what contempt he has for the court orderlies and police.”
Boshoff was not injured and did not take the matter further.
Tereasa Dias, a Lowvelder reporter, was also threatened by Nyalunga while attempting to cover one of his previous court appearances – also on poaching charges. On August 30, 2016 in the Nelspruit Regional Court she was taking pictures of proceedings when Nyalunga got up from his seat in the gallery and charged at her, yelling that she must not take his photo.
She managed to evade as court police stopped him.
Most recently, Lowvelder reporter Arisa Janse van Rensburg was accosted by supporters of seven poaching accused outside the White River Magistrate’s Court.
Nyalunga, Petros Sidney Mabuza (Mr Big/Mshengu), Clyde Mnisi, Aretha Mhlanga, Claude Lubisi and Rachel Qwebana were arrested on charges related to rhino poaching in September last year.
READ MORE: Seven arrested in 123-man operation
Last week Monday the accused reappeared. After their appearance, Janse van Rensburg walked to her car.
On the way she passed two other accused in the case, Mabuza and Mnisi. She asked each for a photograph, and each smiled for a picture she took.
As she approached Nyalunga shouted at her that he should get shares in Lowvelder. She laughed at the joke and snapped a picture.
Two men who were with Nyalunga turned around. She took another picture, then continued towards her car which was parked on Peter Graham Street around the corner from the court’s main entrance.
Both men blocked the way between her and her car. She explained to them that she was simply doing her job.
They repeatedly told her to “F@#k off” and poked at her. They added phrases including “Next time you come here we will get you,” and “Journalists are k@k” and threatened to hurt her.
This occured in full view of a number of police officers and security guards stationed at this entrance. None of them did anything to assist.
Janse van Rensburg managed to flee.
During a previous appearance in October, two supporters protesting against the alleged poachers’ arrest charged Janse van Rensburg outside of the court building, grabbed her wrists, pushed and shoved her and tried to take her phone from her.
What shocked her most, she said, was that police and security guards, standing metres away, witnessed the incident but did nothing.
Both incidents were reported to police, but last Monday she was informed that no record of the previous complaint exists in the system.
Monica Nyuswa, spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, referred the newspaper to the SAPS and Department of Justice.
Police spokesman Brig Leonard Hlathi said he would respond to the newspaper’s queries. He had not at the time of going to press on Monday.
Nyalunga was approached for comment via his lawyer, who also had not responded.
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