Rhino poaching trends ‘worrying': SANParks
“Of course we are worried; that is why all the [Cabinet] ministers are here. It is because of that worry and also to articulate all the interventions to stop the tide,” he told reporters at a briefing in Pretoria at which Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa presented the latest figures on rhino killed by poachers.
Those attending included Police Minister Nathi Nhleko and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Molewa revealed that at least 749 rhino had been killed in South Africa this year, as poaching figures continued to rise compared to the same period last year. By August 27, the number of rhino lost to poachers was 749 for the whole country. Of these, 544 were poached in the Kruger National Park (KNP).
“By this time last year, the number of rhino lost to poachers was 716 for the whole of the country and 459 for the KNP.”
She said without government’s multi-pronged interventions, including the integrated strategic management of rhino, the number would have been significantly higher.
Excluding the KNP, poaching had decreased, but poaching and attempted poaching had increased in the KNP.
“So far during 2015, there have been 1617 positively identified poacher activities in the KNP. This implies that three incursions occur per day, anywhere along the 1000km KNP border.
“This means there are 12 active poacher groups at any given time somewhere on the two million hectares of the KNP,” she said.
The number of people arrested for poaching-related activities had also increased.
“The total number of arrests inside the KNP was 138 for this year, compared to 81 arrests for the same period last year. A good example of the outcome of our increased efforts was during the month of July when 35 arrests were made in the KNP alone,” said Molewa.
“We are particularly proud of the work done by our law enforcement agencies. For instance this co-operation led to the arrest of eight poachers in an extended operation over 24 hours in the south of the KNP as part of Operation Southern Comfort. Two heavy-calibre rifles, ammunition, and poaching equipment were seized during this operation,” she said.
In May, Molewa told reporters that the number of rhino killed by poachers in South Africa this year had increased compared to the same period last year.
By the end of April the number of rhino lost to poachers was 393, with 290 of these in the KNP, she said at the time.
On Sunday, Nhleko said numerous poaching-related cases were pending before courts while several poachers had been sentenced.
“One outstanding case involves 1840 charges and the [court] appearance is on June 28, 2016. That case involves [alleged rhino horn trafficking syndicate boss Dawie] Groenewald and 11 others. Another case [is that] of [alleged rhino poaching mastermind Hugo] Ras and 10 others on 380 charges of racketeering. Their next court date is September 14, 2015,” he said.
Sentences handed down by the courts included eight, 10, and 15 years imprisonment in different cases cited by Nhleko
Mapisa-Nqakula said government efforts against rhino poaching were bearing fruit.
“On behalf of the security cluster, really there is significant progress being made in this area of work. If you compare from 2012, when we saw the rise of rhino poaching in South Africa, you will realise that South Africa has developed a well-integrated approach to this challenge,” she said.
“From our side, as government, we are very optimistic that we will be able to, maybe not to curb it, it is a very different matter. Indeed we have developed a multi-pronged strategy to deal with this whole challenge… so we are trying our best. We are not saying it’s perfect but we believe we have made a very good beginning,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
- ANA