Africa Wild

A very, very interesting outset to life, developing here,...

Shout help, loud and clear,....CCMA,..we have a labour
dispute, moral anguish at the labour front,...

So, to begin,...""my life, blah blah,........."

SANParks 'poachers' remanded

2014-09-25 19:05

Johannesburg - Three SANParks employees accused of poaching rhino in the Kruger National Park were remanded in custody when they appeared in the White River Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

The accused, Lawrence Baloyi, 34, a game ranger, Shakes Baloyi, 27, a gardener, and Andre Mabunda, 31, a field guide, were not asked to plead to charges of rhino poaching, a Sapa correspondent reported.

The three SA National Parks (SANParks) employees were remanded in custody for further investigation and would appear in court again on 3 October, said Skukuza police spokesperson Warrant Officer Oubas Coetzer.

Coetzer said the workers were arrested during a joint operation between SANParks and the SA Police Service on Sunday.

According to SANParks acting chief executive officer Abe Sibiya the three employees were based in the Lower Sabie area. During their arrest police confiscated a hunting rifle, ammunition, a vehicle and poaching equipment.

He said the arrests came shortly after the discovery of a freshly killed rhino in the Lower Sabie section of the park.

Sibiya added that the park had been under huge pressure from poachers.

"It is unfortunate that those trusted with the well-being of these animals are alleged to have become the destroyers of the same heritage that they have a mandate to protect," said Sibiya at the time of the arrest.

- SAPA

Are Sibiya and Mabunda common names?

Very common, Lis!

Not unlike to the north, blood runs thick through
some veins!!!...

You know , in a previous life , we lived up north , and I worked in Pretoria , in a job that often took me far north amongst the rural people , and I learnt of many things and customs/etc of that area . So , I find the following of some significance .

Persons involved here are named Mabunda and Baloyi - the Section Ranger . Now consider the fact that the Section Ranger is like a big chief amongst the rangers for that area , with high authority and say-so , and that makes it really sad that such a thing can happen .

But , what to me , is of real significance here , is that the name Baloyi , translated from Sepedi , a major language , means witches.
Now , witchcraft may be considered as a no-no , and evil , but certainly still very much practised especially in rural areas of this country . And a moloi ( singular of baloyi ) , can wield considerable power and influence in a local population , even if he is just supposed to be a NORMAL person .
And if such a moloi is placed in a position of high authority , that in fact enhances his position amongst the community by a hundred-fold

I wonder how many more baloyi are employed as rangers

Makes you think

Regarding Baloyi the Section Ranger:



Nicolene Smalman | 7 October 2014 09:03

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WITRIVIER – Die streeksveldwagter van Onder-Sabie wat van renosterstroopverwante misdrywe aangekla word, is Vrydag borg van R15 000 in die plaaslike landdroshof toegestaan.

Mnr. Laurence Baloyi (42) is nie borg geweier nie omdat hy van ‘n sogenaamde skedule 1-misdryf aangekla word en nie skedule 5 soos sy medebeskuldigdes, mnre. André Mabunda (42) en Shakes Baloyi (46) nie.

Hulle is op 21 September toevallig in die Onder-Sabiegebied van die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin (NKW) aangekeer. Polisielede was besig om ou stropingstonele vir leidrade te fynkam toe hulle skote gehoor het. Hulle het ‘n helikopter beskikbaar gehad en dadelik ondersoek ingestel.

Sowat drie kilometer verder het hulle op ‘n vars karkas afgekom. Dit was duidelik dat die stropers onderbreek was omdat hulle net begin het om die dier te onthoring en nie klaargemaak het nie. Beamptes het die gebied gefynkam en ‘n spoorsnyhond het twee mans in ‘n nabygeleë bos uitgesnuffel. Dit was glo Mabunda (‘n veldgids) en Shakes (‘n tuinier). Daar is ‘n .458-jaggeweer en ammunisie, glo dié van Laurence, by hulle gevind.

Die drie het op 23 September vlugtig in die hof verskyn en die saak is weer Vrydag aangehoor. Mnr. Ian McDonald, ‘n lektor in natuurbewaring by Unigrad, het ‘n petisie-skrif wat deur verskeie diereliefhebbers onderteken is om die beskuldigdes se borg teen te staan, by die hof ingedien.

Laurence is bloot van ‘n skedule 1-misdryf aangekla en moes dus slegs kon aandui dat hy nie ‘n vlugrisiko is nie en wel vir sy verhoor sou opdaag. Hy het sy paspoort ingedien en moet aan streng borgvoorwaardes voldoen.

Mabunda en Shakes word van ‘n skedule 5-misdaad aangekla en hulle regsverteenwoordiger moet dus kan bewys dat dit in die belang van geregtigheid is dat hulle op borg vrygelaat moet word.

Hulle moet tot 13 Oktober in aanhouding bly, wanneer hulle waarskynlik weer om borg sal aansoek doen.



Baloyi was granted R15 000 bail, as his offence was deemed to be a schedule 1 one, while his alleged accomplices who were caught in the field will remain in custody. Baloyi must hand in his passport and adhere to strict bail policies.

http://lowvelder.co.za/226805/streeksve ... -kry-borg/