Africa Wild

Two Suspected Rhino Poachers Arrested in North West Province

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has made significant strides in the fight against rhino poaching, with the arrest of two suspects linked to multiple poaching incidents in the Madikwe Game Reserve. Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng, praised the multidisciplinary team responsible for the successful operations conducted on Wednesday, 28 January, and Thursday, 30 January 2025.

The operation involved members of the Lehurutshe Stock Theft & Endangered Species (STES) Unit, Rustenburg Tactical Response Team (TRT), Madikwe Game Reserve Anti-Poaching Unit, and SANPARKS officials. The first suspect, Eric Ndlovu (47), was arrested at the Hartbeesfontein Police Station, where he was already in detention for an earlier rhino poaching offence. Ndlovu had been on law enforcement’s radar due to links to four rhino poaching cases reported between June and August 2023 at Madikwe Game Reserve.

Further investigations led the team to Sghandaff in Soshanguve, Gauteng, where a second suspect, a 27-year-old man, was apprehended on Thursday, 30 January 2025. This brings the total number of suspects arrested in connection with the four Madikwe poaching cases to six, following the earlier arrests of four individuals between October 2023 and March 2024.
Ndlovu appeared before the Zeerust Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 30 January 2025, where he was remanded in custody pending a possible bail application on Wednesday, 5 February 2025. In addition to the rhino poaching charges, Ndlovu faces separate charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. These charges stem from his arrest in Rustenburg on January 8, 2025, during a Crime Intelligence-led tactical operation, which subsequently linked him to the Hartbeesfontein rhino poaching case.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old suspect is expected to make his first court appearance at the Zeerust Magistrates' Court on Monday, 03 February 2025.
Major General Asaneng lauded the collaboration between various law enforcement and conservation agencies, stating, “The dedication and teamwork demonstrated by the multidisciplinary unit have been instrumental in ensuring these arrests. We remain committed to dismantling criminal networks involved in wildlife crimes.”
Authorities continue to investigate and urge the public to report any suspicious activity related to wildlife crime as part of ongoing efforts to protect South Africa’s endangered species.

Mongabay.com The Guardian WWF South Africa Endangered Wildlife Trust Save the Rhino International Stop Rhino Poaching.com Global Conservation Force Wildlife Justice Commission The Guardian Al Jazeera English Africa News 24

Ref: 9/2/2 – 25 - KNP
Saturday, February 01, 2025, Sentences 1 of 1
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release

SKUKUZA COURT FINDS POACHER GUILTY

South African National Parks has welcomed yet another conviction and sentencing of a Mozambican National, on poaching related charges.
Sixty-eight-year-old, Simon Fenias Mbombi was found guilty on six charges relating to an incident which took place in Malelane, in the Kruger National Park on the 9th August 2016.
The Malelane Section Ranger received information on the date at 01H00 that suspects were in the area to illegally hunt rhino. He organised a team of field rangers and followed up on the information. They spotted two suspects two individuals walking ahead of them at 06H15. One of them was carrying a hunting rifle and carried a small backpack. He then radioed for back up, and a helicopter and the K9 Unit were deployed. The dog handlers and the field rangers made contact with the suspects, unfortunately one of them escaped after running through a group of elephants. Mbombi was then arrested in possessions of the following items:
1. A .375 hunting rifle.
2. Four ammunitions
3. One axe.
He was processed and charged with six counts related to the incident and sentenced on the 31 January 2025 by the Skukuza Magistrate Court. The charges and sentences were as below:
1. Trespassing in a National Park: Two years
2. Conspiracy to commit a crime: Four years
3. Possession of an unlicensed firearm: Five years
4. Possession of a firearm with the intention to commit a crime: Four years
5. Possession of ammunition: Two years
6. Possession of a dangerous weapon: One year
The court ordered that the sentences in count 4 and 5 must run concurrently with count 3. Mbombi will serve an effective sentence of 12 years in prison. SANParks lauded the Rangers, K9 and Aviators for a successful arrest and congratulated the prosecutor for presenting a compelling case to the court. …. Ends”.
For previous media statements please go to www.sanparks.org
Issued by:
South African National Parks (SANParks)
JP Louw: SANParks Head of Communications and Spokesperson.

Eight+ years