117 in Kruger.
That is more than 70% of the rhinos killed
Rhino Poaching 2013
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Penga Ndlovu
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
"Longing for the bush is a luxury many have.
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
South African conservationists slam courts as recipe for disaster after accused rhino poacher is arrested on fresh charges
Simon Bloch
Independent News Group March 16 2013
South African conservationist and retired lawyer Chris Mercer on Friday slammed the country’s legal system for the catastrophic increase in rhino poaching, calling the courts “dysfunctional and an unholy recipe for disaster.
“In terms of rhino poaching and wildlife crimes, the justice system in South Africa needs to be brought under a microscope. Instead of imposing deterrent bail conditions and hefty sentences, the courts are sending out the wrong message. They are even encouraging poaching” said Mercer.
A KwaZulu Natal man, Minthungowakhe Khoza, out on R10 000 bail while facing rhino poaching charges stemming from a 2009 case, was re-arrested in the early hours of Friday morning, less than 24 hours after Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife rangers discovered the poached carcasses of two white rhinos at Tembe Elephant Park in Northern Zululand.
The horns of both animals had been hacked off, and wildlife investigators are hoping to link Khoza’s arrest to the crimes via DNA evidence.
Khoza , 44, of Ulundi, and Thulani Mbatha, 26 were arrested at about 3 am Friday morning in a random road-block at the Blood River crossing between Vryheid and Utrecht. A set of freshly poached rhino horns was discovered in the car they were travelling in.
According to SAPS communications spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane, Kingsley police noticed a suspicious Toyota Tazz and decided to conduct a vehicle search.
“During the search, two horns wrapped in a black plastic bag were discovered in the vehicle.
When the suspects were asked about the recovered horns, they told the police that they had bought them from the Vryheid area” Zwane said.
Allegedly the horns were wet and bloody, with fresh bone-marrow from the poached animal still attached to their base. The value of the seized horns on the black market is believed to be in excess of R500 000.
Khoza and Mbatha appeared in Utrecht Magistrates’ Court Friday where they were charged Under the National Environmental Biodiversity Act for being in possession of rhino horns, dealing in rhino horns and transporting rhino horns without a permit. The case was remanded until 25 March 2013 for further investigation.
Mercer told Weekend Argus he was not only shocked, but deeply disappointed by the courts’ bungling and failure to act decisively and judiciously in these critical poaching cases.
“Being qualified in both English and Roman-Dutch law, and having practised law in three different jurisdictions, namely London, Zimbabwe and even Botswana, I have never come across such astounding incompetence as I have found at all levels of the South African system” he said.
“Here you have a man who caught red-handed three-and a half years ago, released on a ridiculously low bail amount despite the opposition of criminal investigators, only to be re-arrested for the same heinous crimes before his first case has even been concluded” Mercer said.
“KwaZulu Natal alone has lost over 150 rhino while he has been out on bail. It’s a travesty of justice that these cases have been crawling along through the court system for this long at the taxpayers’ expense, while the same perpertrators are out on bail committing the same crimes.
“With all this ineptitude in the courts, what chance do the rhinos have if people like this are allowed to continue their deadly business?
“The Minister of Justice needs to urgently elevate rhino poaching crimes to the highest level of priority, and assign only the most qualified and competent magistrates and prosecutors to try these cases” Mercer added.
“Members of the judiciary who know their stuff”.
Khoza, 44, is due to appear next month with three co-accused in the KwambaNombi court for the continuance of his previous 2009 rhino poaching case.
In August 2009, Khoza, Ayanda Buthelezi, Mduduzi Xulu and Sifiso Ngema were apprehended outside Imfolozi game reserve by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife ranger Lawrence Munro, with the support of police.
They were literally caught red-handed with blood dripping from their clothing and in possession of two freshly hacked off white rhino horns. A 303 rifle and two axes were discovered in their vehicle and one of the axes, a long-handled axe, was covered in blood.
Following up on the case the next morning, Munro said, they came across the carcass of a large male white rhino in the reserve whose horns had been hacked off.
Despite opposition from wildlife investigators who testified at the time that they believed the four accused were part of a syndicate. they were granted bail of R10 000 each by Magistrate P.Z. Xulu at the kwambaNombi court.
Xulu said there was no actual evidence linking them to the international rhino horn trade at the time - and it was his opinion that Organised Crime Unit member Danie Reyneke’s fears that the accused may evade trial if granted bail was based on suspicion.
Godfather of South African rhino conservation, Dr Ian Player, expressed disbelief when he heard Khoza had been re-arrested on new rhino poaching related crimes charges.
“It is iniquitous that someone who is out on bail has been caught again for rhino poaching. This wh ole crisis has tarnished the image of our beloved country, and has done the conservation effort a great deal of harm.
“I would plead to the Minister of Justice, Mr Radebe, to urgently take the appropriate action necessary in this rhino poaching crisis. It is of vital importance that the courts recognize the seriousness of rhino poaching” Player said
.
ENDS
Simon Bloch
Independent News Group March 16 2013
South African conservationist and retired lawyer Chris Mercer on Friday slammed the country’s legal system for the catastrophic increase in rhino poaching, calling the courts “dysfunctional and an unholy recipe for disaster.
“In terms of rhino poaching and wildlife crimes, the justice system in South Africa needs to be brought under a microscope. Instead of imposing deterrent bail conditions and hefty sentences, the courts are sending out the wrong message. They are even encouraging poaching” said Mercer.
A KwaZulu Natal man, Minthungowakhe Khoza, out on R10 000 bail while facing rhino poaching charges stemming from a 2009 case, was re-arrested in the early hours of Friday morning, less than 24 hours after Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife rangers discovered the poached carcasses of two white rhinos at Tembe Elephant Park in Northern Zululand.
The horns of both animals had been hacked off, and wildlife investigators are hoping to link Khoza’s arrest to the crimes via DNA evidence.
Khoza , 44, of Ulundi, and Thulani Mbatha, 26 were arrested at about 3 am Friday morning in a random road-block at the Blood River crossing between Vryheid and Utrecht. A set of freshly poached rhino horns was discovered in the car they were travelling in.
According to SAPS communications spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane, Kingsley police noticed a suspicious Toyota Tazz and decided to conduct a vehicle search.
“During the search, two horns wrapped in a black plastic bag were discovered in the vehicle.
When the suspects were asked about the recovered horns, they told the police that they had bought them from the Vryheid area” Zwane said.
Allegedly the horns were wet and bloody, with fresh bone-marrow from the poached animal still attached to their base. The value of the seized horns on the black market is believed to be in excess of R500 000.
Khoza and Mbatha appeared in Utrecht Magistrates’ Court Friday where they were charged Under the National Environmental Biodiversity Act for being in possession of rhino horns, dealing in rhino horns and transporting rhino horns without a permit. The case was remanded until 25 March 2013 for further investigation.
Mercer told Weekend Argus he was not only shocked, but deeply disappointed by the courts’ bungling and failure to act decisively and judiciously in these critical poaching cases.
“Being qualified in both English and Roman-Dutch law, and having practised law in three different jurisdictions, namely London, Zimbabwe and even Botswana, I have never come across such astounding incompetence as I have found at all levels of the South African system” he said.
“Here you have a man who caught red-handed three-and a half years ago, released on a ridiculously low bail amount despite the opposition of criminal investigators, only to be re-arrested for the same heinous crimes before his first case has even been concluded” Mercer said.
“KwaZulu Natal alone has lost over 150 rhino while he has been out on bail. It’s a travesty of justice that these cases have been crawling along through the court system for this long at the taxpayers’ expense, while the same perpertrators are out on bail committing the same crimes.
“With all this ineptitude in the courts, what chance do the rhinos have if people like this are allowed to continue their deadly business?
“The Minister of Justice needs to urgently elevate rhino poaching crimes to the highest level of priority, and assign only the most qualified and competent magistrates and prosecutors to try these cases” Mercer added.
“Members of the judiciary who know their stuff”.
Khoza, 44, is due to appear next month with three co-accused in the KwambaNombi court for the continuance of his previous 2009 rhino poaching case.
In August 2009, Khoza, Ayanda Buthelezi, Mduduzi Xulu and Sifiso Ngema were apprehended outside Imfolozi game reserve by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife ranger Lawrence Munro, with the support of police.
They were literally caught red-handed with blood dripping from their clothing and in possession of two freshly hacked off white rhino horns. A 303 rifle and two axes were discovered in their vehicle and one of the axes, a long-handled axe, was covered in blood.
Following up on the case the next morning, Munro said, they came across the carcass of a large male white rhino in the reserve whose horns had been hacked off.
Despite opposition from wildlife investigators who testified at the time that they believed the four accused were part of a syndicate. they were granted bail of R10 000 each by Magistrate P.Z. Xulu at the kwambaNombi court.
Xulu said there was no actual evidence linking them to the international rhino horn trade at the time - and it was his opinion that Organised Crime Unit member Danie Reyneke’s fears that the accused may evade trial if granted bail was based on suspicion.
Godfather of South African rhino conservation, Dr Ian Player, expressed disbelief when he heard Khoza had been re-arrested on new rhino poaching related crimes charges.
“It is iniquitous that someone who is out on bail has been caught again for rhino poaching. This wh ole crisis has tarnished the image of our beloved country, and has done the conservation effort a great deal of harm.
“I would plead to the Minister of Justice, Mr Radebe, to urgently take the appropriate action necessary in this rhino poaching crisis. It is of vital importance that the courts recognize the seriousness of rhino poaching” Player said
.
ENDS
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H. erectus
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
Yap,......Our judicial system has become a joke in
the eye of international observation,....so I feel!!
Too many laws protecting other laws, allowing for
loopholes based on humanitarian ground!!!
It becomes a political orientated scenario way outside
the scope of these forums unfortunately!!!
Our policing is way out of touch with our judiciary!!
A hopeless scenario!!
the eye of international observation,....so I feel!!
Too many laws protecting other laws, allowing for
loopholes based on humanitarian ground!!!
It becomes a political orientated scenario way outside
the scope of these forums unfortunately!!!
Our policing is way out of touch with our judiciary!!
A hopeless scenario!!
Heh,.. H.e
Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
Here the official DEA stats:
Update on rhino poaching statistics
15 March 2013
As the triennial Conference of Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) draws to a close, the number of rhino poached in South Africa rose to 158 since the beginning of the year.
In the Kruger National Park 116 rhino have been poached, while 13 have been poached in North West, 12 in Kwazulu-Natal, 9 in Mpumalanga and 8 in Limpopo.
A total of 61 people have been arrested, 38 of them alleged poachers and three alleged couriers.
In the past week two alleged poachers were arrested in the Kruger National Park. Nine were arrested at a game farm near Lephalale in Limpopo in connection with rhino poaching on March 10, the Limpopo conservation department confirmed.
Delegates to CoP16 in Bangkok, Thailand, congratulated the Department of Environmental Affairs for its initiatives to combat rhino poaching on the sidelines of the conference saying initiatives presently being undertaken in South Africa would enhance the global effort to fight all trans-boundary wildlife crimes.
South Africans are urged to report incidents of poaching and tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.
For media queries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Update on rhino poaching statistics
15 March 2013
As the triennial Conference of Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) draws to a close, the number of rhino poached in South Africa rose to 158 since the beginning of the year.
In the Kruger National Park 116 rhino have been poached, while 13 have been poached in North West, 12 in Kwazulu-Natal, 9 in Mpumalanga and 8 in Limpopo.
A total of 61 people have been arrested, 38 of them alleged poachers and three alleged couriers.
In the past week two alleged poachers were arrested in the Kruger National Park. Nine were arrested at a game farm near Lephalale in Limpopo in connection with rhino poaching on March 10, the Limpopo conservation department confirmed.
Delegates to CoP16 in Bangkok, Thailand, congratulated the Department of Environmental Affairs for its initiatives to combat rhino poaching on the sidelines of the conference saying initiatives presently being undertaken in South Africa would enhance the global effort to fight all trans-boundary wildlife crimes.
South Africans are urged to report incidents of poaching and tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.
For media queries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
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H. erectus
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
So bloody easy to say with little input them self's!!! Once again our big knobs are super saturated with glory again,Toko wrote:Delegates to CoP16 in Bangkok, Thailand, congratulated the Department of Environmental Affairs for its initiatives to combat rhino poaching on the sidelines of the conference saying initiatives presently being undertaken in South Africa would enhance the global effort to fight all trans-boundary wildlife crimes.
taking little cognisance for what happens at ground level!!
,"iS NOT MY JOB",....A load of crap this whole meet thingy!!!!
Heh,.. H.e
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Richprins
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
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General Gump
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Penga Ndlovu
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
162
"Longing for the bush is a luxury many have.
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
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Amoli
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Re: Rhino Poaching 2013
[quote="Toko"][In the Kruger National Park 116 rhino have been poached, while 13 have been poached in North West, 12 in Kwazulu-Natal, 9 in Mpumalanga and 8 in Limpopo.
A total of 61 people have been arrested, 38 of them alleged poachers and three alleged couriers.
I had a look at these figures from a different angle..
March 15, 2013
KNP – Poached 116 - Arrests 28 …… = % Arrests 24.14% = Percentage Free 75.86%
GP – Poached 0 - Arrests 3 …….…= % Arrests = Percentage Free
LIM – Poached 8 - Arrests 20 ………. = % Arrests = Percentage Free [/color]
MP. – Poached 9 - Arrests 1 .………. = % Arrests 11.11% = Percentage Free 88.89%
NW .– Poached 13 - Arrests 8 .………. = % Arrests 61.54% = Percentage Free 38.46%
KZN – Poached 12 - Arrests 1 ……….. = % Arrests 8.33% = Percentage Free 91.67%
TOTALS…… 61 Arrests against 158 poached = 36.72% Arrests and walking free is 63.29%
TOTAL PERIOD 2010 TO 15 March 2013 -
KNP – Poached 939 - Arrests 250…… = % Arrests 26.62% = Percentage Free 73.38%
MMP – Poached 9 - Arrests 0…… = % Arrests 0% = Percentage Free 100.00%
GP – Poached 25 - Arrests 55 …….…= % Arrests = Percentage Free
LIM – Poached 193 - Arrests 172 ………. = % Arrests 89.12 = Percentage Free 10.88%
MP. – Poached 85 - Arrests 85 .………. = % Arrests 100.00% = Percentage Free 0.00%
NW .– Poached 168 - Arrests 76 .………. = % Arrests 45.24% = Percentage Free 54.76%
EC .– Poached 22 - Arrests 28 .………. = % Arrests 127.27% = Percentage Free
KZN – Poached 150 - Arrests 50 ……….. = % Arrests 33.33% = Percentage Free 66.67%
NC .– Poached 7 - Arrests 0 .………. = % Arrests 0% = Percentage Free 100.00%
WC – Poached 2 - Arrests 2 ……….. = % Arrests 100.00% = Percentage Free 0%
TOTALS…… 724 Arrests against 1607 poached = 45.05% Arrests - and walking free is 54.95%
Looks like the GREEN Provinces have a method they work to..
I do realise that poachers from one Provice can be caught in another Province..
And we all know it is not 1 poacher to 1 Rhino – they work in groups of ??? - that would mean we can multiply the total of the WALKING FREE figure..!!
A total of 61 people have been arrested, 38 of them alleged poachers and three alleged couriers.
I had a look at these figures from a different angle..
March 15, 2013
KNP – Poached 116 - Arrests 28 …… = % Arrests 24.14% = Percentage Free 75.86%
GP – Poached 0 - Arrests 3 …….…= % Arrests = Percentage Free
LIM – Poached 8 - Arrests 20 ………. = % Arrests = Percentage Free [/color]
MP. – Poached 9 - Arrests 1 .………. = % Arrests 11.11% = Percentage Free 88.89%
NW .– Poached 13 - Arrests 8 .………. = % Arrests 61.54% = Percentage Free 38.46%
KZN – Poached 12 - Arrests 1 ……….. = % Arrests 8.33% = Percentage Free 91.67%
TOTALS…… 61 Arrests against 158 poached = 36.72% Arrests and walking free is 63.29%
TOTAL PERIOD 2010 TO 15 March 2013 -
KNP – Poached 939 - Arrests 250…… = % Arrests 26.62% = Percentage Free 73.38%
MMP – Poached 9 - Arrests 0…… = % Arrests 0% = Percentage Free 100.00%
GP – Poached 25 - Arrests 55 …….…= % Arrests = Percentage Free
LIM – Poached 193 - Arrests 172 ………. = % Arrests 89.12 = Percentage Free 10.88%
MP. – Poached 85 - Arrests 85 .………. = % Arrests 100.00% = Percentage Free 0.00%
NW .– Poached 168 - Arrests 76 .………. = % Arrests 45.24% = Percentage Free 54.76%
EC .– Poached 22 - Arrests 28 .………. = % Arrests 127.27% = Percentage Free
KZN – Poached 150 - Arrests 50 ……….. = % Arrests 33.33% = Percentage Free 66.67%
NC .– Poached 7 - Arrests 0 .………. = % Arrests 0% = Percentage Free 100.00%
WC – Poached 2 - Arrests 2 ……….. = % Arrests 100.00% = Percentage Free 0%
TOTALS…… 724 Arrests against 1607 poached = 45.05% Arrests - and walking free is 54.95%
Looks like the GREEN Provinces have a method they work to..
I do realise that poachers from one Provice can be caught in another Province..And we all know it is not 1 poacher to 1 Rhino – they work in groups of ??? - that would mean we can multiply the total of the WALKING FREE figure..!!
Pretoriuskop
Satara
Shingwedzi
20-30 Dec 2014
Satara
Shingwedzi
20-30 Dec 2014