Rhino Poaching 2015

[Toko]

http://citizen.co.za/439993/sanparks-ap ... -poaching/

The South African National Parks (SANParks) has appealed to the media and the communities to play a role in curbing rhino poaching.e
The appeal was made by SANParks general manager for marketing and communications, William Mabasa, during a tour with journalists from local and foreign media houses at the Kruger National Parks in Skukuza on Sunday. He said rhinos were under severe attack and needed to be protected at all costs.
“We are asking you as media to play a role,” said Mabasa.
“You must be worried if there is someone near you driving a Range Rover while he is not working. And you cannot say your neighbor is not a poacher until you know it.”
A total of 197 rhinos have been poached at the Kruger National Park since the beginning of this year, according to SANParks media specialist Ike Paahla. He said poachers were mostly operating as syndicates, adding most of the poached rhinos had died.
The park attracts a lot of visitors as many vehicles were parked near the reception centre on Sunday afternoon. Other visitors were driving around in the bushes and taking pictures of various animals.
The animals spotted by journalists when driving around included a cheetah, klipspringer, rhino and four elephants.
On Monday morning, several monkeys were seen scavenging bags in front of the guest houses. They were apparently looking for anything they could consume for “breakfast”. The animals appeared to be so comfortable they did not run away when workers walked past them.
“We are not worried about these monkeys because they don’t cause any problems here. They are just looking for food,” said one female worker who asked not to be named.
The four-day media tour is expected to end on Wednesday and it will include revelations of the latest technology used to combat rhino poaching.

[Richprins]

Hanti is there, it is a massive get-together.

But this release is feeble, and in line with other parastatals, and indeed the Police and Ministers constantly asking for public support regarding anything from crimefighting to corruption to financial aid.

We pay our taxes, and entrance and accommodation, and that is enough.

In the past we were told we should leave it to the professionals.

[PennyinSA]

The very least that they could do would be to get their statistics correct - they are underreporting this woefully. This is a deliberate ploy to pull the wool over people's eyes so that they actually believe that the situation is under control. Enough is enough - stop the talk of trade as it is simply making the waters very muddy. Aunty Edna and all her cohorts need to get a handle on this and fast because right now they are simply making fools of themselves as they protest that they are doing everything in their power. They are not. Stop the corruption - that is the prime cause of everything. It goes from the totally inaccurate permit system fraught with corruption and lies right through to the rot that is within the Park. Only when this is dealt with will they start to see any light.

[Toko]

You hit the nail, Penny

[ExFmem]

When I saw that "statistic", I was livid. Such pure BS....sorry, but the plight of so many wild animals is on a downward spiral with no end in sight.

[Bushcraft]

You hit the nail, Penny

Agreed

[Richprins]

Penny, you are so right.


Systemic corruption is rife in this country, at all levels, and officials gravitate towards potential sources of income, especially at top government level, once other sources have been utilised and left broken.

It sounds harsh, but I can see no reason why this situation should be different, other than that the fighters on the ground are doing their best out of sheer commitment, miraculously, and delaying the slaughter a little bit at a time, while being stabbed in the back by the departments of international affairs and whichever local entities and other national officials who wish to feed at the trough.

[Richprins]

Lots of new stuff regarding the PR bash in Kruger, some quite good! Waiting for soft copy!

[Richprins]

Nothing much there after all.

Anyway:

http://lowvelder.co.za/289718/controver ... hing-case/


Controversial statement shocks in poaching case
Silumane argued that African people generally don’t care much for rhinos.
3 hours ago


WHITE RIVER – The controversial argument that Africans don’t consider rhinos to be of much value, shocked the White River Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Magistrate, Ms Winnie Baloyi, reacted vehemently to this statement made by defence attorney, Mr Bheki Silumane, before denying bail to his clients, two alleged poachers.

Silumane appeared on behalf of Mr Wozayo Maluka and Mr Mtokosizi Ndzimande. They are two of four men accused of poaching a white rhino in the Kruger National Park (KNP) on July 13.

Lt Francois Vermaak, commander of the SAPS’ rhino task team, testified about that day’s events. “SANParks field rangers came across three suspects close to the rhino carcass in the Stolsnek area of the Kruger National Park. When I arrived on the scene, Mr Maluka, Mr Towela and Mr Ndimande had already been arrested.” Vermaak testified that two bags containing one large rhino horn, one small rhino horn, binoculars, a knife and four .375 cartridges, were discovered at the scene. “A bloody axe was also found there,” he said.

Vermaak testified that Maluka explained what had happened. “He said they entered the KNP the day before and that a certain Russell had sent them into the park. He also said Towela was the one who had shot the rhino.”

Russell has since been arrested along with Sithole, but the former did not appear in court on Monday.

Baloyi recalled the defence argument presented during the accused’s previous court appearance. Apparently, the accused’s defence held that Maluka’s child was seriously ill. The accused embarked on a journey to the park, where they were told they would find a magical tree. This tree, the only one of its kind in the KNP, could heal the child. All they had to do, was to cut of a piece of one of the tree’s roots. The accused’s magical trip came to a sudden end when they bumped into field rangers and the police.

During their court appearance, Towela indicated that he would not apply for bail and the state did not oppose the application of Sithole, who was released on bail of R7 000. During the bail hearing of Maluka and Ndimande, defence attorney Mr Bheki Shilumane supported his clients’ case by saying the duty to protect our rhinos lies with nobody except the police and the South African National Defence Force.

He quoted case law emphasising this responsibility to support his argument, which Baloyi addressed. She said the case law definitely did not allow for poaching. She added that that would be a misinterpretation of the law.

Silumane argued that African people generally don’t care much for rhinos. He said rhinos and cows are considered of equal importance to Africans. Specialist state prosecutor Ms Ansie Venter reacted vehemently to this statement. She referred to King Mswati III who recently changed Swaziland’s laws, making it impossible for someone accused of rhino poaching to be released on bail.

“King Mswati is one of many Africans who care for our rhinos very deeply and wants to protect them,” she said. Before ruling on the bail application in the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, Baloyi expressed that she completely disagreed with the statement. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” she said, “in fact, I regard such a remark as an insult to the court’s intelligence.”

The case’s trial date remains to be confirmed.

[Alf]

Magical tree