SAPS, SANDF & SANParks Employees Involved in Poaching

[Richprins]

SANParks takes legal action over ‘sensationalised’ reports of dead rhino

While it was initially thought that the Rhino may have been shot, the post mortem team established that the rhino died of natural causes (fighting).
Black rhinos are critically endangered. Picture: Save the Rhino/Michael Wain

The SANParks is taking action against the sensationalised reporting of the dehorning of a dead rhino at the Kruger National Park earlier this month.

This after a report of the incident, as described by US tourists, raised suspicions on whether “insiders killed” the rhino.

In the report, the tourist further questioned the legality of the manner in which the rhino was dehorned, the vehicle the rangers used and the clothing of the man who helped the ranger in the process.

This despite the situation having been fully explained to the tourist the day after the incident, spokesperson Ike Phaahla said in a statement.


“The complainant had however been contacted telephonically by the regional ranger on the morning of the 12th where the situation was fully explained. He received an email from the communications department reiterating what had transpired, however, he continued with his campaign to tarnish the name of the section ranger and of SANParks.”

Now SANParks is taking legal action regarding his posts and the report and will be notified of pending action in due course.

“The death of any Rhino in the Park is a major loss and hurts all of us. Our rangers are working under very difficult conditions every single day and are under continual attack and on alert. The fact that this incident took place in front of tourists is most unfortunate and exposes what our Rangers have to confront on an almost daily basis,” said Kruger Park’s Gareth Coleman.

“We respect and encourage the public to raise any issue with which they have a concern. In this case, we are certain that this situation was handled correctly and was all in a hard day’s work of our Rangers. It is sad that despite the situation having been clearly explained subsequent to the event, that the complainant chose to escalate the items to the press and it has been reported in such a sensationalist manner.”

https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa ... ead-rhino/

[Richprins]

They never take legal action, just threaten!

[Lisbeth]

They are back in the US a long time ago and then it was a "she" not a "he"

[Richprins]

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/anim ... 4aVM76lAkw

[Lisbeth]

Excellent article which explains a lot of things and answers a lot of questions. After reading it my thought is that maybe English himself has asked to be removed from the anti-poaching team, because he is worn out and fearing for his life. The situation is much worse than I thought. SANParks has to fight their own rangers, en masse, and also the unions

If he and fellow rangers had been fending off poachers coming from the outside, he says, rhino killings would have stopped long ago. But when it’s rangers wearing the uniform who are complicit—that, he says, is a whole different level. Of the roughly 20 rangers in his section, he says as few as five are trustworthy. That small group must carry the workload of the entire team.

[Richprins]

[Peter Betts]

Excellent article which explains a lot of things and answers a lot of questions. After reading it my thought is that maybe English himself has asked to be removed from the anti-poaching team, because he is worn out and fearing for his life. The situation is much worse than I thought. SANParks has to fight their own rangers, en masse, and also the unions

If he and fellow rangers had been fending off poachers coming from the outside, he says, rhino killings would have stopped long ago. But when it’s rangers wearing the uniform who are complicit—that, he says, is a whole different level. Of the roughly 20 rangers in his section, he says as few as five are trustworthy. That small group must carry the workload of the entire team.

Correct assumption Lisbeth. He wants to end off up North . His best Section was Shangoni where he first started as a Section Ranger after he was a Trails Ranger

[Richprins]

Former Kruger ranger and state vet to face the music for rhino poaching six years later

Noxolo Majavu



Former regional ranger Rodney Landela on an anti-poaching patrol on November 7 2014 at the Kruger National Park. Photo: James Oatway/Gallo Images


Six years after two rhinos were killed and poached, a former Kruger National Park ranger and state veterinarian technician could soon hear their fate.

Their trial dates have been set for Tuesday until Friday.

Former ranger Rodney Landela and former state vet Kenneth Motshotso were arrested on July 27 2016.

The pair were arrested for the possession of two rhino horns, a firearm and ammunition.


They were found in the possession of several poaching instruments, including a rifle and 17 rounds of ammunition.

Apart from the two rhino horns found in the men’s possession, the police also confiscated four cellphones, an axe and three Garmin navigators at the time of the arrest.

Landela was a star ranger, having climbed the ranks from field ranger to section ranger and finally regional ranger before his fall from grace. His career spanned 15 years.

His arrest was unexpected.

The duo was released on bail in December 2017 and, due to a string of postponements and delays, are yet to be sentenced.

Caught in the act

On the fated day of their arrest, three gunshots being fired alarmed rangers, setting them off to investigate. On their way to find the perpetrators, two men fled in a bakkie, leaving a white rhino carcass behind. A team of rangers pursued the vehicle.

Landela, who was left behind, had allegedly instructed Motshotso to drive off.



After a while, Motshotso returned. Rangers traced his tracks and found that he had driven off to hide horns and a hunting rifle.

Corruption challenges

Corruption and greed are the driving forces behind bringing rhinos to the edge of extinction in the wild.

With the promise of a lucrative cash incentive, park staff can be wooed, while others are threatened into submission by kingpins.

Kruger National Park head ranger Cathy Dreyer says it’s no secret that rangers are sometimes involved in rhino poaching.

“For many, it’s monetary, but for some, their families are threatened, as they live in the surrounding communities while they (the rangers) live in the park,” Dreyer says.

The numbers

The number of rhinos poached between January and June is already 10 more than the 249 poached countrywide in the first six months of last year.

From January to the end of June, 82 rhinos were killed for their horns in the Kruger National Park.

This year’s poaching statistics show that 210 rhinos on state properties and 49 in privately owned parks have been killed.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded a loss of 133 rhinos. This is more than triple the 33 rhinos killed in the province in the first six months of last year.

While the latest data show a move away from the Kruger National Park, where intense conservation efforts are under way, a loss of up to 78% of its population over the past 10 years is dire.

In a bid to deter poachers, more than half of the rhino population in the Kruger National Park has been dehorned – starting with the animals living in high-risk areas.

https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/s ... CRCBjmEkQM

[Lisbeth]

SIX years! It's ridiculous and unfair

[RogerFraser]

https://www.facebook.com/peter.milton.3 ... es9vwd7uWl

In a series of pre-dawn raids yesterday, police arrested nine additional suspects linked to David Chikwa Maluleke and Solly Ubisi , the dirty Kruger National Park rangers who were busted earlier this year by the Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation team. They allegedly provided tactical information to rhino poaching syndicates in exchange for large sums of money.

NINE SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR MONEY LAUNDERING
3 December 2022

MPUMALANGA: Nine suspects aged between (22) and (61) were arrested during multidisciplinary integrated take down operation "Blood Orange" conducted in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo provinces respectively by the Hawks based Mpumalanga Serious Corruption Investigation, Serious Commercial Crime Investigation,Mpumalanga and Limpopo Serious Organised Crime Investigation Crime Intelligence ,Tactical Responce Team and Local Criminal Record Centre during the early hours of Friday, 02 December 2022.

The arrest follows a comprehensive investigation which included their financial affairs. KPMG was co-opted to do the financial investigation of the money flow into accounts of suspects.

It is alleged that the two main accused who were previously arrested on 24 April 2022 and charged with corruption, money laundering and fraud linked to wildlife trafficking provided tactical information to rhino poaching syndicates in exchange for substantial sums of money which were transferred into the bank accounts of the family members who received gratification and benefited out of that money hence their arrest. Maluleke and Ubisi were released on bail by the Bushbuckridge Magistrate Court and their case was postponed to 07 December 2022 for the arrest of the other suspects who were arrested today.

Joint search & seizure operation under the same operational project Blood Orange was conducted in Gauteng Province on the same day by members of Gauteng DPCI, TOMS, SAPS K9 Endangered species and EMI from DFFE at Sunnyridge Primrose.

During the search a Volvo motor vehicle fitted with hidden compartment was searched and inside was a black sports bag containing suspected rhino horn shavings. A small room was discovered next to garage suspected to be used for rhino horn processing whereby a large band saw, scales, grinders, grinding discs and a hand scanner commonly used to detect micros chips, various financial documents and digital devices were found and seized for further investigation.

The vehicle was also confiscated and handed in at Van Rijn Deep pound.

The other two suspects are still at large and they will be traced and brought to book. Investigation Continues.
Anyone with further information on the investigation is urged to contact the Hawks investigating officer, Colonel Danie Hall on 071 481 3281.