Africa Wild

Ah, thanks, vinkie! Much easier to understand for me now.

Thanks vinkie

Poaching suspect says he was framed

A Sapa correspondent reported that Mozambican national Abel Mfana Mashabane, 25, was not asked to plead to charges of malicious damage to property and theft of a rhino horn. Mashabane was arrested by rangers while walking with two friends at Houtboschrand in the Kruger National Park on May 17 last year. He said that after he and his friends came across the rangers inside the park, shots were fired at them.

My friends ran and I saw one of them falling to the ground after being shot at by the rangers. Other rangers began assaulting me, accusing me of owning the rhino horn which I suspect was brought by them and was planted in my bag,” he said.
The court heard that the rangers patrolling the park saw the accused and two other men trying to cross into Mozambique with a bag containing a rhino horn before there was an exchange of gunfire. The court also heard that the horn had a street value of R250,000.
Prosecutor Isbet Erwee, said the accused did not dispute being the owner of the rhino horn when the rangers gave their testimony in court. The pink red meat and blood meant it was still fresh,” Erwee said.

Mashabane continued to deny that he knew about the horn in the bag.

Source: http://newswall.co.za/news/latest/the-i ... 2ir8.37890


From another and more reliable source:

KNP trespasser jailed for 11 years

Nelspruit – A man was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment by the Nelspruit Regional Court on Thursday for trespassing and carrying out a restricted activity in the Kruger National Park.

Abel Mfana Mashabane, 26, from Phalaborwa, pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing in a designated area, after he and his friends were caught walking through the park at Houtboschrand on May 17, 2012.

Mashabane was shot and wounded when he and his friends were detained by game rangers.

“Other rangers began assaulting me, accusing me of owning the rhino horn which I suspect was brought by them and was planted in my bag,” he told the court.

Mashabane had previously testified that rangers framed him. The court heard the rangers had seen the men trying to cross into Mozambique with a bag containing a rhino horn with a street value of R250,000.

During sentencing, Mashabane’s lawyers said prison was not a place for his client as his hip was dislocated when he was detained.

“Prison will be worse for him as he has been on crutches since the day of arrest. He has acknowledged the seriousness of the offence he faces, and that rhinos get killed on daily basis,” his lawyer said.

State prosecutor Isbet Erwee said the court should not set Mashabane free because of his injuries as he would be cared for in prison.

“Luckily he lost his hip and not his life,” she argued.

Magistrate Shila Msibi did not find Mashabane guilty of possession of a white rhino horn because neither the carcass nor killing site could be located. Msibi said she would not take an armchair approach as rhino killings were on the increase.

“It seems this year’s rhino killings will exceed last year’s statistic as currently, it stands to 238.”

She sentenced Mashabane to eight years for carrying out a restricted activity in a designated area, and three years for trespassing. The sentences will be served consecutively.

Mashabane’s lawyer indicated his client would appeal the sentence on June 4.

– Sapa

Source: http://www.oscap.co.za/knp-trespasser-j ... -11-years/

Five arrested for rhino poaching
Sapa | 27 May, 2013 10:23

Five men were arrested for allegedly killing five rhino in the Hluhluwe area, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Monday.

The men, aged between 20 and 64, were arrested on Saturday after police received a tip-off, Captain Thulani Zwane said.

The rhino were poached this month.

Two rifles and 93 rounds of ammunition were recovered by police.

Zwane said the men faced charges of rhino poaching and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The men were expected to appear in the Mtubatuba Magistrate's Court on Monday.

&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve Sends Strong Message to Rhino Poachers
Monday, 27 May 2013

In two separate incidents, a total of six suspected rhino poachers have been arrested and one killed in and around &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Earlier today, four suspects entered &Beyond Phinda and were intercepted in a joint operation by the Phinda Anti-Poaching Unit (Nyathi APU Security), SAPS Durban Organised Crime Unit, SAPS Special Task Team and &Beyond Phinda Conservation Team. One suspect was killed and the other three were arrested (one of whom was injured). The three South African citizens and one Mozambican national were in possession of a high calibre hunting rifle, silencer, axe, six rounds of live ammunition and specifically prepared muthi (traditional medicine supplied by a sangoma/traditional Zulu healer). There is a strong link between some traditional healers and rhino poaching in KwaZulu-Natal, with the muthi believed to enable poachers to carry out their poaching activities successfully without police intervention.

An additional three suspected rhino poachers were arrested on 10 May in the town of Jozini, just north of &Beyond Phinda. They too were intercepted in a joint operation by the Phinda Anti-Poaching Unit (Nyathi APU Security), SAPS Empangeni Canine Unit and SAPS Durban Organised Crime Unit. The two Mozambican nationals and one South African citizen were in possession of a high calibre hunting rifle, silencer, axe and ten rounds of live ammunition. It is suspected that they were on their way from Mozambique to illegally hunt rhino at either &Beyond Phinda or Zulu Nyala Game Reserve, and it is also believed that they were involved with the poaching of a black rhino at Phinda in November 2012 and the more recent killing of a white rhino at Zulu Nyala.

All six men are currently in police custody and will face charges relating to attempted rhino poaching and possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. &Beyond expects maximum sentences for the accused and trusts that not only will they be denied bail, but that the magistrates will treat all suspected rhino poaching incidents as serious crimes.

Nyathi APU Security has been &Beyond’s preferred security provider for the past decade and their impressive results over the last six months have dealt a serious blow to poaching syndicates operating in the Zululand region. These latest arrests follow four separate anti-poaching operations at &Beyond Phinda since December 2012, whereby one armed poacher was killed, another wounded and seven suspects arrested. These successful interceptions can all be attributed to the close working relationships between the Nyathi APU, SAPS Organised Crime Unit, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Zululand Wildlife Security Initiative (a collection of private game reserves in the Zululand area) and various nongovernmental organisations such as Project Rhino KZN and The Bateleurs (aviation service in support of conservation). This joint collaboration is proving effective in fighting the war against rhino poaching and these arrests will serve a further blow to poaching syndicates operating in the Zululand area.

Source = &Beyond

Mel wrote:. There is a strong link between some traditional healers and rhino poaching in KwaZulu-Natal, with the muthi believed to enable poachers to carry out their poaching activities successfully without police intervention.

Ja, same here...they receive or create a cloth band which they put around their waists to protect them from bullets, or give them good luck...



An interesting thing is the bunch caught due to a "tip-off". That is a very good sign. Well done KZN!

Published: 2013/05/28 03:54:12 PM
Source: SAPA


Durban - Rhino poachers should get the maximum sentence if found guilty, KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture and Environmental Affairs MEC Meshack Radebe said on Tuesday.
"If the justice system does this, it will [send a] strong a message to poachers and would-be poachers that they [should] think twice before they act," Radebe said.

His call came after the arrest of five men alleged to have killed five rhino in the Hluhluwe area, northern KwaZulu-Natal, this month.

The men, aged between 20 and 64, were arrested on Saturday after police received a tip-off, police spokesperson Thulani Zwane said.

Agriculture and environmental affairs spokesperson Jeffrey Zikhali said a total of 33 rhino had been killed in the province this year and police had made 24 arrests.

"The crisis in South Africa is driven by well organised and well funded criminal networks, who strike after careful planning," Zikhali said.

Wish Radebe's namesake would suggest this at National level!

Good guys strike back

29 May 2013 at 10:30

It's been an action-packed week since our last update. The good guys have been hitting back - arresting eight suspected rhino poachers over the last week in operations at Hluhluwe and in Phinda Private Game Reserve, where they also shot and killed one suspect.

When I say good guys, it's been joint task forces, comprising SAPS and Ezemvelo members, among others.

If you heard our update last week, you'd recall Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's Lawrence Munroe, who is the Rhino Operations Unit Manager, saying they weren't going to take the recent assault on our rhinos lying down. And he wasn't wrong if you look at the number of arrests.

And Lawrence says the ZAP-Wing choppers have played a role too:

"The helicopters are continuing to play a vital role. We've had some very successful reactions in the past week. On Saturday we had an arrest of people made in Zululand. Last week (Tuesday) another three arrests were made. The [one] helicopter was called for reactions which it followed through. They've also assisted with crime scene investigations.

"The pressure on us is relentless, but so is our effort. We're making good headway. These arrests have come at a good time. It's good for morale and people are working very well together as well."

Lawrence says 27 people have been arrested in KZN this year so far in connection with rhino poaching. 33 animals have been killed.

I asked Lawrence if the arrests are likely to make a dent in operations or if the kingpins will simply find other poachers to replace them.

"Arresting rhino poachers is a complex business. They are structured - they have foot soldiers and then more syndicated involvement. By virtue of the fact that many of these arrests are made in the operational areas, these are foot soldiers that are being arrested with rifles, often caught red-handed.

"Syndicated arrests require a higher degree of cooperation and coordination between the various state bodies, as well as private sector input. But those arrests are forthcoming," he said.

Let's hope the big fish get nabbed soon. Explorer Kingsley Holgate, on his latest adventure tracking the Lubombo Mountains and also spreading the anti rhino poaching word under the Project Rhino KZN banner, says Swaziland has a successful model to deter poaching.

He says the kingdom's lost just three rhino in the last 20 or so years: "They've got boots on the ground; they take precautions. They're constantly on alert, there are watch towers and rangers in the bush with fire-power. And of course the law -- Game Act of 1992 puts you behind bars without the chance of bail for seven years.

"It's an absolute tribute to this little nation, how they are addressing their rhino protection," he said.

Finally, thanks go out to the following for their donations this week to the KZN Rhino Watch project. The East Coast Cruisers Car Club, based in Pinetown, had a birthday bash for Dave and Pauline Morley. Instead of presents, members were ask to donate into the Rhino Collection box, and they've raised R800. Many thanks to everyone involved.

And thank you to the Robinsons and the Harmans for their R500 donation in memory of Durbanite Reg Fielding - who sadly died last week and who was a big animal lover.

And there were also two anonymous donations. Thank you everyone.

- Diane Macpherson

Source: http://www.ecr.co.za/post/good-guys-strike-back/

KZN rules!