Rhino Poaching: Setbacks

Information & discussion on the Rhino Poaching Pandemic
Duke

Re: Section Ranger Shot by SANDF Patrol

Post by Duke »

Are you kidding :evil:

Seriously, we need to find out what the outcome of the investigations are. Toko, have you got a link to where it said this will be investigated. I remember somebody, Mr Mabasa or Mr. Sibiya -O- -O- -O- -O- saying this was only the second friendly fire incident but has to be investigated.


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Re: Section Ranger Shot by SANDF Patrol

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Richprins
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Re: Section Ranger Shot by SANDF Patrol

Post by Richprins »

Ja, looking back, it is a police investigation. He was shot by a soldier, accidentally...

The soldier went for Psychiatric Post Traumatic treatment afterwards, up in Pta...

Nothing sinister, after all is said and done? -O-

But there should be some sort of closure?


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Duke

Re: Section Ranger Shot by SANDF Patrol

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Agree Rp, nothing sinister, and there should be closure


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Re: Rhino Poaching: Setbacks

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Private owners of rhino in South Africa are fighting their own war against poaching, says game-farm owner, Ms Sylvia Fick, who recently lost four rhino to poachers. “We receive no help from the government and live in constant fear,” she stated.

Fick recounted how they had accumulated rhino for their game farm in Limpopo and how excited they had been with the increase in numbers during the past three years. Their joy was, however, ruined upon the discovery of four carcasses in April. A fifth cow, mother to a calf of three months, was severely injured and is currently being treated in an effort to save her or at least give the little one more time to suckle. “We were devastated, especially because all our rhino had been dehorned in the past year.” The bit of horn that had remained was apparently hacked off with an axe.

A calf of about two months old was found at the body of its dead mother. It was taken in by Care for Wild Africa in Mpumalanga. The farm immediately requested that all their remaining rhino be dehorned, despite being warned by other private owners that it could lead to another attack due to corruption and collusion within the ranks of the parks board. “We don’t know what to do anymore, someone warned us not to let the police onto the farm because they also provide information to syndicates,” an exasperated Fick admitted.

According to Ms Kholofelo Nkambule of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) the same is not the case in this province and the MTPA attempts to give assistance to private owners where mandated to do so.

It also upset Fick that millions of rand were being raised by NGOs for saving the species, yet, they as private owners needed to find money in order to secure their animals. They are, like several other game-farm owners they know, considering selling their remaining rhino. “We would need to erect a double fence around the whole property, employ more armed guards and set-up look-out points – things we simply can’t afford at this time!”

It is estimated that 20 per cent to 25 per cent of all rhino in the country are privately owned.

Rhino security is indeed a big problem, concurred Mr Pelham Jones, chairman of the Private Rhino Owners Association (PROA) of South Africa. This is the only entity of its kind in the country. Established in 2009, it also acts as a specialist group within the larger framework of Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA). According to Jones, PROA represents the majority of private rhino owners in the country.

He conducted a study in 2013 among members that calculated the cost per hectare per year of safe keeping privately owned rhino. “Our members spent roughly R262 million a year on security,” he told Lowvelder.

His statistics show that 717 of those belonging to PROA members were poached in 2013. And, Jones added, they are frustrated at the low level of support for private owners from the government. He also stated that there existed a “mixed” quality of service from law enforcement in the matter. “We are frustrated at the slow turnaround time by the Hawks.”

According to Fick, the organised-crime specialist who attended the scene of the crime on their farm merely wandered around the carcasses, before saying that they would return in three weeks to try and find the bullet casings.

Lowvelder asked for comment from the Hawks regarding the number of cases currently being investigated, particularly in terms of the number of criminals, apart from poachers, being investigated. It also asked whether detectives underwent any special training to deal with this specialised, highly syndicated crime and whether a budget had been allocated specifically for these investigations. Hawks spokesman, Capt Paul Ramaloko had not responded to the query.

Meanwhile, owners like Fick said that their situation was heartbreaking. “Should we stand fast and hope for change, or do we sell our rhino?” she asked. She had estimated the cost of added security for their rhino at R2 million, which would still not be enough to guarantee their safety. “Rhino in this country will go extinct because the system is not working,” she concluded. “Maybe I must start a Facebook page and ask for overseas funds, I really don’t know what to do.”

According to a recent report by Rynette Coetzeeof the Endangered Wildlife Trust and environmental crime prosecutor, Phil Snijman, entitled The status quo of compliance monitoring and enforcement of biodiversity and conservation legislation in South Africa, conflicting and confusing regulations hamper compliance monitoring and law enforcement in South Africa. “They create problems and loopholes and this affects enforcement and compliance efficiency,” says Coetzee. While investigating for their report, Coetzee also found that wildlife crime dockets opened by EMIs are often put at the ‘bottom of the pile’ because police are inundated with what is perceived as more serious criminal cases. At a recent conference in Onderstespoort, organised by the NGO Outraged Citizens Against Poaching (or OSCAP), advocate Antoinette Ferreira from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) indicated that the NPA have had convictions in almost all rhino cases driven through court., however detection rates of this crime stood at 3%. The conviction rate of poaching crimes was 85%. Most of these, however, were of poachers. Ferreira also mentioned that the SAPS had resolved to appoint specialist investigators to deal with endangered species crimes.


http://lowvelder.co.za/193759/193759/


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Re: Rhino Poaching: Setbacks

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This report by the Endangered Wildlife Trust represents the summary findings of an investigation to examine the status of compliance monitoring and enforcement of South Africa’s biodiversity and conservation legislation. The aim of the report is to identify weaknesses and gaps and subsequently make recommendations for improvement.

An interesting read: Download PDF
Corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is proving to be a significant challenge. It should be noted that the perception that corruption is rife, is based on interviews with various officials and that while this view is concerning, it is not reflected in reported formal action against corrupt officials, but remains a perception. A number of respondents (targeted as part of the investigation) from across the board mentioned corruption specifically with regard to the issuing of both TOPS and CITES permits. Attempts to obtain more specific information on this were unsuccessful.
High levels of corruption within enforcement agencies, also contribute to the low level of detection of these specific offences. Where contraventions are detected, offenders are often not brought to book because they are not prosecuted effectively. This is largely due to inexperience on the part of many prosecutors in the NPA especially in the lower levels, and at one-man stations. Successful prosecutions depend on thorough investigations. Some enforcement officials are however not knowledgeable or experienced enough to detect and investigate crime effectively, which may result in cases either not being prosecuted, or being prosecuted unsuccessfully
There is a major gap in the accurate accumulation and recording of data on the enforcement of biodiversity and conservation legislation. The failure to record case data correctly, hinders the identification of problem areas in enforcement, which in turn means that these problem areas are not managed and addressed


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Re: Rhino Poaching: Setbacks

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Corruption is the only real plausible reason for these morons to still be able to carry on at this rate...we've been saying it for years!

To SP's credit, they have a small but well-led internal investigations unit...but once again, we've been saying that must be expanded massively! 0*\

There is no reason why SP should magically escape the scourge of corruption that has savaged the rest of SA, and Africa, and elsewhere. :evil:

As far as prosecutions go, a stronger will from Justice Department can help speed things up...we suggested retired magistrates and rhino speed-courts...but that didn't happen.


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Re: Section Ranger Shot by SANDF Patrol

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There should have been a bit of official closure by now? What happened to the accidental shooter, etc.? -O-


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Re: Rhino Poaching: Setbacks

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Deur Elise Tempelhoff Dinsdag 02 September 2014 2:00 vm.



Regslui van Johannesburg het ’n klag teen SANParke en die departement van omgewingsake by die openbare beskermer (OB) aanhangig gemaak oor die voortslepende renosterstropery in die Krugerwildtuin.

Bean and other lawyers have laid a complaint with the Public Prosecutor (Thuli Madonsela)regarding the poaching crisis, regarding SANParks and the DEA.

Christopher Bean, wat ook in Kalifornië as prokureur geregistreer is, het namens sy regsfirma ’n beroep op adv. Thuli Madonsela, die OB, gedoen om ’n diepgaande ondersoek te doen na redes waarom renosterstropery in die Krugerwildtuin nie gestuit word nie, ondanks die teenwoordigheid van die weermag, die beskikbaarheid van verfynde tegnologie en verskeie skenkings.

This regards increasing poaching despite all forces, technology, and various donations.




“Daar is heeltemal te veel geheime in SANParke se raad,” het Bean gesê.

There are far too many secrets surrounding the SANParks Board





Sy praktyk het op 5 Februarie vanjaar ’n mandaat van SANParke gekry om Mosambiek toe te gaan met die doel om op stropers en sindikaat­base se bates beslag te lê. Hy was al met dié projek besig toe hy sonder opgaaf van redes opdrag gekry het om dit onmiddellik te staak.


His practice received a mandate from SP to go to Mozambique and lay claim to the assets of poachers and syndicate bosses in January. They were busy, when instructions arrived to immediately cease operations, without reasons provided.

Bean skryf aan die OB dit lyk of korrupsie ’n rol speel, tesame met mense in SANParke en die departement van omgewingsake wat hoop om finansieel by die stropings baat te vind.


Bean feels that it seems corruption plays a role, along with people in SANParks and the Department hoping to gain financial benefit from poaching.


Volgens Bean was hy verlede jaar ook in die wildtuin betrokke by die gebruik van honde om renosterstropery hok te slaan. In dié tyd het hy tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat laksheid of doelbewuste onwilligheid moontlik by personeellede ontstaan om maatreëls in te stel om stropery hok te slaan.

According to Bean, he was also involved in a dog project last year, when it dawned on him that a lax attitude or purposeful unwillingness may exist amongst staff to curb poaching.

Hy sê in sy brief dat Amerikaanse tegnologie om stropers feitlik onmiddellik op te spoor einde 2013 tot SANParke se beskikking gestel is. Die geld om die tegnologie aan te skaf, is aan SANParke geskenk, maar dis nog nie in werking gestel nie.


In his letter, he states that American technology enabling poachers to be tracked almost immediately was presented to SANParks in 2013, including donations to apply this, but is not yet in practice.




Volgens Bean is daar groot verwarring oor Operasie Hakkejag en weet hy van gevalle waar SANParke veldwagters verbied het om stropers oor die grens met Mosambiek te volg.

Hy skryf aan Madonsela die stropers is deeglik daarvan bewus en wys sonder sorge hul welvaart aan die res van die wêreld.

There is confusion regarding cross-border raids by rangers, as per "Operation Hakkejag", with some being forbidden to do so. Poachers are aware of this and continue to flaunt their wealth.




“Operasies soos Operasie Hakkejag is deel van internasionale wetgewing en toelaatbaar. Die enigste oplossing vir die huidige vlaag stropery is om die stropers oor die grens te volg en in hegtenis te neem. Waarom word dit nie gedoen nie?”

The above operation is part of international law, and is the only current solution.

Een van sy kliënte het verlede maand aangebied om renosters met behulp van ’n helikopter uit die wildtuin te help verskuif. SANParke het skaars op die aanbod gereageer, het Bean gesê.



One of Bean's clients offered to helivac rhinos from Kruger last month, but the offer was scarcely acknowleged by SP


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Re: Rhino Poaching: Setbacks

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This is sort of old news, but very relevant! :evil:


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