Pictures: Farmers warn of ‘bloodbath’, as illegal dog hunters ravage farms, livestock

With his three farms constantly being pillaged, and livestock and game brutally slaughtered, KwaZulu-Natal farmer Hartman Potgieter is helpless, enraged and has warned of bloodbath if the invasions continue.

Since August, Potgieter says he has had poachers with hunting dogs running amok on his farm near Kwa Nongoma, butchering game, including protected and endangered species, and turning his entire property into minefield of snares.

He said hunters set up multiple snares across the farm but never set them off or remove them, with rotting carcases of wild animals and livestock found caught on the traps days after the hunters had left.

The farmers have detailed the brutality of the hunters, with animals being chased down by dogs until they are too exhausted to run any further, and then being hacked with axes and machetes and stabbed with spears.

A South African Agricultural Industry (Agri SA) 2018 report quotes a study by the University of KwaZulu-Natal that dogs were not the most efficient, but were nonetheless brutal killers, ripping pieces from their victims while they are still alive.

Farmers’ union TLU SA has raised an alarm on the scourge of illegal hunting with dogs on private property, saying the situation created a huge problem for livestock and game farmers.

The union’s Free State chairperson Bertus van der Westhuizen has lamented that dogs were cruel hunters, snatching chunks of meat from live prey.

There were over 12 hunters, each with a least five dogs, he said, lamenting that there was nothing he could do, since the justice system was not helpful and rendered them sitting ducks.

Potgieter said he has opened more than 50 cases of trespassing and hunting with dogs with the police, but that no one has ever been arrested or prosecuted.

“When we shoot their dogs, we are accused of attempted murder for shooting at the hunters. If I wanted to kill them they would be dead today. I can shoot a dog three metres away so hitting a person will be nothing. I can tell you now that next time they will come to pick up bodies here,” he charged.

In 1998, he brought 20 impalas to his farm and expected that to date the animals would have numbered beyond 3000. Instead, only 30 are left, while only four remain of his entire herd of reedbucks, with the rest also having been poached.

In fear of betting syndicates

For Theo Roelofse, who manages a large family game farm in the coastal mining and cattle ranching town of Vryheid, illegal hunting has reached deadly proportions.

He is now frightened to accost the hunters poaching game on their farm after he was shot at with a large calibre hunting rifle.

Roelofse explained that there has been illegal hunting in the past but said this was manageable as it was people from neighbouring communities hunting for the pot. Now, however, syndicates have taken over.

“Now, with the emergence of organised groups and the introduction of betting on dogs, it has intensified and has become dangerous for farmers. The organisers are making a lot of money and locals are paid to get them into the farm. This now becomes a lucrative and easy source of income, attracting more fixers to our detriment,” he said.

One farmer in the Wasbank area told The Citizen how a lone hunter he had accosted on his farm set dogs on him before running away.

By the time the hunter whistled for the dogs to follow him, the farmer was nursing gaping wounds on his legs.

“We have a big problem concerning illegal hunting, trespassing and nothing going for us. Our lives are in danger. I am scared because I cannot do anything. When you go out to accost the people, they stone your vehicle. If you do anything, you go to jail,” cattle farmer Dirk Wessels said.

The hunter

But Sizwe Ngcobo, 32-year-old prominent member of Amaphisi, a local hunting group, said as much as hunting with dogs was a popular sport, pastime and tradition in the area, the farmers’ complaints were motivated by hatred for black people.

It was near impossible to get any hunter to speak to The Citizen on record until Ngcobo was mandated to speak on their behalf.

The hunter, who lives at KwaSithole, about 5km outside Dundee, keeps a total of 17 magnificent greyhounds, which he says are his most prized possessions.

His most pricey greyhound, which he uses for breeding purposes, is worth up to R50 000, whilst his 9 puppies, between 0 and 12 months old, are worth R9 000 each.

He explained that their hunting groups were well organised and this was to ensure that there are rules, such as not hunting animals that were still small, and growing or hunting in conservation areas.

According to Ngcobo, they also never hunt in private game lodges, but he said they would occasionally chase an animal into a private farm, as these were not adequately fenced like game farms.

“My father was hunting these areas and hunting is part of me. We eat everything that we hunt and nothing goes to waste. Black farmers do allow us to hunt in their farms as long as we ask for their permission, but white farmers are problematic,” Ngcobo said.

He said white farmers accosted them even in public places, accuse them of illegal hunting, and threaten to shoot their dogs.

Ngcobo said cattle farmers did not keep game but would shoot at hunters chasing game in their properties.

“When you run over an animal that emerged from a farm near the road, the farmer will say this is not their animal as they are cattle farmers so will not take responsibility. But when we hunt wild animals in their farms they accuse us of killing their wild animals. They did not bring any animals here,” Ngcobo said.

He conceded that their organisation could not control all the hunters, and that there were those who were irresponsible and would hunt anywhere and anything.

Ngcobo appealled to government to legalise dog hunting and come up with rules to ensure responsible hunting.

“When we attained freedom in 1994, the government forgot about African people who survive by hunting. Hunting with dogs, the only weapon we have, is illegal but hunting with a gun is not illegal,” he complained.

Ngcobo said hunting with dogs was not only a tradition and culture, carried from generation to generation, but that it was also spiritual as some Zulu rituals were preceded by hunting.

He said the ritual of Ukugeza izinduku (cleansing of weapons) was preceded by a hunting expedition called Incina, after which the weapons used by the hunters are taken to a mountain for cleansing.

“All we are asking for is understanding and respect for our culture and tradition. How can we, the owners of this land, be prevented to hunt when outsiders can come and shoot animals as trophy? Where is our dignity as people of this land,” Ngcobo asked.

National crisis

Frans de Jager, who runs a private security company called Covert Corps, which specialises in anti-poaching operations in the Kruger National Park, said they were not only focusing on rhino poaching but livestock theft and poaching of small game.

“It is a crisis and something needs to be done, but the biggest problem here is not the hunters but the police who do nothing about this matter. It was shocking to discover that police refuse to do anything about this,” he said.

De Jager said the problem of illegal hunting with dogs was a national crisis, as every farmer in the country was affected as the syndicates were staging hunting tournaments wherever there was game.

He said one farmer lost more than 50 sheep to hunting dogs in a day, and that many more livestock were being caught on snares.

“Because some of the dogs are left behind, becoming stray dogs, they go on to kill and injure livestock. That is a huge financial loss to the farmer,” he explained.

De Jager said it was not only white farmers falling victim to the hunters but also black farmers who are losing livestock, and have asked them for help.

Farmers’ union TLU SA has appealed to their members and farmers from across the country not to allow this type of crime on their land and to fight it within the rules of law.

• siphom@citizen.co.za