SAPS, SANDF & SANParks Employees Involved in Poaching

[Richprins]

Social Media Alert
10 YEARS IN PRISON
South African National Parks (SANParks) today welcomed the sentencing of an ex-field ranger, Eckson Musa Matumbu by the Skukuza Regional Court to an effective ten-year jail term. Matumbu was based at Nwanetsi section in the Kruger National Park (KNP) and was arrested in February 2020 for killing a rhino with an official firearm issued to him and using non-issued ammunition. He was granted bail initially, which was later cancelled; the case was remanded in custody to October 2023 for conviction/sentencing.
Today, Matumbu was found guilty of the following charges:
Carrying out a restricted activity involving a threatened or protected species in a National Park – 10 years (contravention of Section 57 (1) of Act 10 of 2004)
Accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of Act 60 of 2000
The Managing Executive of the KNP, Oscar Mthimkhulu said “we are pleased with the sentence as it demonstrates that the law is not selective and deals with everybody who is involved in criminal activities. I hope our colleagues will learn from this case that regardless of your position, the law will catch up with you. We also appreciate the Skukuza Regional Court for the continued convictions and sentences without fail”.
….Ends”
Issued by
South African National Parks: Communications & Marketing Department – Kruger National Park.

[Lisbeth]

A field ranger ought to get a doubled-up sentence

[Lisbeth]

Shades of grey — rethinking the heroes and villains in the war on rhino poaching


A special field ranger (name cannot be disclosed) on an anti-poaching patrol in the Kruger Park on 8 November 2014. (Photo: Gallo Images / Sunday Times / James Oatway)

By Babar Dharani - 25 Jul 2024

Are game rangers in the Kruger National Park heroes or villains? With almost 70% implicated in poaching, it may be tempting to judge them all harshly. But this polarised categorisation hinders rather than helps conservation.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At a media visit to the Kruger National Park earlier this year, SANParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla announced that more than R250-million had been spent in 2023 to deter poaching. Regional ranger Richard Sowry told the media contingent that poaching presented a threat to the park’s existence, with far-reaching consequences economically, socially and ecologically.

With estimates that up to 70% of park rangers could be involved in rhino poaching, it’s easy to villainise them, but the reality is a lot more nuanced, and this binary lens, where rangers are either heroes winning the war or villains failing it, hinders our ability to effectively support their crucial work.

In our quest to navigate a complex world, our minds often simplify reality by constructing black-and-white mental models. The allure of quick sense-making through polarised categorisations, like heroes versus villains, is undeniable.

However, decisions and behaviours founded on these simplified models have real-life consequences that extend far beyond the binary framework, especially when it comes to complex issues, such as “grand challenges” being faced by the world, like the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and protecting biodiversity.

First, it is important to understand how our minds work to categorise things in order to make sense of them.

Determinants of heroes or villains
Folklore depicted the hero as someone who required no support, yet successfully saved others from harm. As such, the burden of heroism is often laid on individuals who protect. Consequently, certain civil institutions are seen as heroes, such as the army, the police, firefighters and park rangers.

But there are instances when people’s perceptions shift dramatically to consider them as villains. Research identifies the process of such a marked shift in perception:

• 1. Selling a war scenario: The media portrays poaching as a war, simplifying the issue and turning park rangers into warriors battling villains. This creates unrealistic expectations and ignores the complexity of the situation;

• 2. Instilling a warrior mindset: Framing rangers as solely responsible for “winning” the poaching war puts immense pressure on them and overlooks the broader challenges they face;

• 3. Contact experience: Militarisation of park rangers can lead to stricter enforcement and negative encounters with the public, shifting public perception;

• 4. Inaccurate evaluations of success: People judge park rangers based on factors outside their control, like cleanliness of campsites, visitor adherence to rules and even animal density in parks, which can lead to them being seen as failing and turning public opinion against them; and

• 5. Collective categorisation: We tend to view all park rangers the same way, ignoring individual differences. Additionally, negative perceptions of civil servants in general can taint our view of park rangers.

A make-believe poacher is captured during a demonstration with game rangers in the Kruger National Park on 28 November 2017. (Photo: Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Deaan Vivier)

Beyond black and white: the rangers’ experience
In their daily work, Kruger Park rangers are implementing innovative initiatives to achieve several key goals:

• Boosting efficiency by motivating rangers, using specialist detection technologies, employing air support and deploying canine units, to name a few;

• Building organisational resilience by actively understanding and combating the drivers of corruption, including measures to rebuild a sense of purpose and realign values. Addressing vulnerabilities by directly supporting rangers in managing their finances and overall well-being;

• Fostering values-based leadership that emphasises the core value of conservation and cultivates key attributes like integrity, accountability, discipline and courage; and

• Taking targeted actions through transparent and fair polygraph integrity testing, efficient investigations and successful prosecutions.

Classifying rangers as heroes or villains has significant consequences for the cause. Villainising them is detrimental to conservation efforts, since it negatively affects their morale and weakens their crucial role in protecting wildlife.

Beyond heroes: a more holistic approach
Fighting organised crime is rife with challenges from avenues beyond the scope of rangers. Additionally, the stresses of lethal battles with poachers, most of whom are low-earning pawns from our local communities, have weighed heavily on the psychological well-being of rangers.

The counterposition of heroes is often burdened by perceptions of front-line defence as warriors. Such expectations are also detrimental, risking buckling under pressure. Instead of projecting a warrior archetype, the counterintuitive position of supporting heroes is needed.

This can be in the form of a more efficient, well-led and well-organised response that includes other parts of local communities near neighbouring parks and society at large, including the criminal justice system, local governments and other relevant agencies.


A bloodhound-mastiff crossbreed sniffs out poachers during a demonstration with game rangers in the Kruger Park on 28 November 2017. (Photo by Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Deaan Vivier)

Need for colours in reviewing grand challenges
While all civil servants must aspire to excellence and each worker must be held accountable when they don’t serve their institutional goals, our mental models encourage judgements on entire institutions and across them. Binarism not only avoids seeing the grey but also stops us from seeing all the colours and shades that exist in real life.

Perhaps, in addition to understanding factors that underpin the psyche to hastily shift perceptions between heroes or villains and their consequences, a deep breath, and a slower gaze at the wider world can encourage us to see the colours and better identify all actors at play in any grand challenge. Adding colours to our mental models allows us to see park rangers not as isolated heroes or villains, but as part of a complex system.

It is only through a more holistic view that we can uncover innovative and interconnected ways to support park rangers in their goal of conserving our wildlife. DM

Dr Babar Dharani is a Senior Lecturer at the Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. This article is based on his work with Kruger Park rangers to build resilience against corruption.

[Richprins]

What a silly article. They are greedy criminals, end of story...

[Richprins]

Skukuza field ranger arrested over theft of official rifle


The police in Mpumalanga, in conjunction with Crime Intelligence from SANParks, made a breakthrough regarding an official rifle that had disappeared a few weeks ago in Skukuza when they arrested a 37-year-old ranger on Wednesday.


According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli, an investigation was immediately initiated when it was discovered that a firearm had been stolen from one of the sections.

An investigation by a multidisciplinary team of investigators of the SAPS’s Stock Theft & Endangered Species Unit (STES), the Environmental Crime Investigative Unit (ECI), and Visible Policing (Vispol) led to the field ranger being interviewed. He took the investigators to his father’s house at Hluvukani near Thulamahashe in the Bushbuckridge area where they recovered a firearm, ammunition, a silencer and a magazine hidden in the ceiling.

The ranger was arrested and will be facing charges related to the illegal possession of a firearm with ammunition, as well as other relevant charges that may arise during the course of the probe, of which theft cannot be ruled out.

“As per standard procedure, the firearm will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether it had not previously been used in the commission of crime elsewhere. The suspect will appear in court soon and an internal disciplinary hearing is also underway,” Mdhluli said.

https://mylowveld.net/skukuza-field-ran ... mSy6mLAr_Q

[Lisbeth]

theft cannot be ruled out.

Isn't that what we are talking about?

[RogerFraser]

18 September 2024

Wilderness trails guide arrested for possession of illegal firearm
A South African National Parks (SANParks) wilderness trails guide has been arrested for possession of an illegal hunting rifle inside the Kruger National Park (KNP). The arrest was made in an intelligence driven operation led by the SANParks Environmental Investigative Unit (ECI) and the South African Police Service’s Tactical Response Team (TRT).

Investigations are ongoing and the suspect cannot be named as he still has to appear in court. He will also face an internal disciplinary hearing as an employee.

Whilst respecting the fact that the employee must be presumed innocent until found guilty, SANParks draws attention to the fact that it always cautions its employees against involving themselves in criminal acts as the organisation applies a no-nonsense policy against such acts.

https://www.sanparks.org/news/wildernes ... WCEZ5U_OvA

Issued By
South African National Parks (SANParks)

JP Louw
SANParks Head of Communications

Mobile: +27 (0)72 772 9424
Email: jp.louw@sanparks.org
Media Enquiries
Reynold “Rey” Thakhuli
General Manager: PR, Media and Stakeholder Relations

[Richprins]

[Lisbeth]

[Richprins]

Twenty years in jail for two former Kruger Park rangers for killing rhino

28 September 2024 - 10:00
Ernest Mabuza

Two former Kruger National Park rangers were each sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for their involvement in poaching-related offences on Friday.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the Skukuza regional court sentenced Lucky Mkanzi, 30, and Nzima Joel Sihlangu, 32, after finding them guilty of conspiracy to commit an offence and killing two rhino.

The rangers were stationed at the Crocodile Bridge section of the Kruger National Park and the crimes were committed between December 25 and December 30 2018 while the accused were on day shift.
“Concerns arose when their supervisor received information suggesting Mkanzi and

Sihlangu may have been involved in the killing of rhino,” Nyuswa said.



The supervisor requested tracking records for the vehicle used by the accused during that period.

“Investigations revealed the vehicle had been stationary at the location where the two rhino were found dead, providing evidence linking the rangers to the poaching incident,” Nyuswa said.
The supervisor's testimony in court included that Mkanzi and Sihlangu were not authorised to work night shifts without approval.

“Police officers testified about a raid on Sihlangu’s residence, where they discovered cash payments made for the sale of rhino horns.”

In addition to the jail terms, the court ordered the forfeiture of cash found in their possession to the state.

“Poaching is a serious crime that poses a significant threat to endangered species and carries lifelong consequences for the environment and biodiversity,” the NPA said.

TimesLIVE

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2024 ... ing-rhino/