Kruger Park crime spells trouble

Just when we thought we were turning the corner in the fight against rhino poaching, a report has suggested that large-scale corruption by Kruger National Park (KNP) staff is rife.

According to a recent Enact report by Julian Rademeyer, Land-scape of fear: Crime, corruption and murder in greater Kruger, while “there are no reliable figures, insiders fear ‘as many as 40%’, if not more, of Kruger’s law enforcement staff are aiding poaching networks, or involved in corrupt or criminal activities in some way, including high levels of fuel theft”.

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Rademeyer says “in just one section of the park, 14 of the 20 rangers were linked to poaching networks, with investigations uncovering evidence of payments from syndicates to at least 50 staff from all walks of life”.

What’s encouraging is that several arrests have been made, resulting in a big decline in poacher activity, particularly around the crime-ravaged Stolsnek section. For 65 days, not a single incident was recorded there. However, many believe that law enforcement duties alone will not solve the problem.

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Rademeyer urges for “short-term, reactive policing tactics to be replaced with a long-term strategy to counter and disrupt key criminal networks”.

He said: “The KNP’s struggle mirrors SA’s struggle against organised crime over the past decade.”

That does not bode well for the Kruger and its animals.

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