Ike Phaahla, general manager of communications of the KNP, confirmed that the suspects were caught during three separate operations in the southern part of the park.

Phaahla praised the efforts of the warriors against poaching.

“We attribute this success to the dedication and efficiency of rangers, closely supported by the canine and aircraft support units.”

He added that applied high technology also played a large part in the above successes.
During these operations three high-calibre hunting rifles along with ammunition were confiscated. All six suspects remain in custody and will appear in court in due course.

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The chief executive officer of SANParks, Fundisile Mketeni, has commended all those involved in the operations, saying “our investment in technology and intelligence gathering means the risk to poachers has increased. They know that if we pick up their spoor, they will lose their freedom”.

Rhino poaching has continued to decline, which is in part due to the implementation of the Integrated Strategic Management of Rhinoceros approach, and the dedication of the men and women working day and night at the coalface to save the species.

During the period of January to June 2019, the number of rhinos poached countrywide was 318. This was a decrease compared to the same period in 2018 when 386 rhino were killed for their horns.

A total of 190 rhino have been poached in the KNP for the period January to June 2019, and 1 202 incursions and poacher activities were recorded in the park in the first six months of this year.

Despite success in driving down poaching in South Africa in recent years, rhino populations cannot keep pace with current poaching rates, and some are now in decline.

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Organised crime groups are exploiting rural, economically marginalised communities and neighbouring rhino reserves, particularly those in Mozambique, and are undermining efforts at good governance and democracy, stimulating corruption and introducing other forms of serious crime in these areas.

The Integrated Strategic Management of Rhinoceros continues to deliver successes, with a considerable number of arrests linked to rhino poaching and smuggling, being recorded in the first six months of 2019. This media report covers the period of January 1 to June 31, 2019.

The integrated approach was adopted by Cabinet in 2014 and is implemented through collaboration between the Departments of Environmental Affairs, Justice and Correctional Services, Defence, State Security, and the SA Police Service, alongside institutions such as SANParks, SARS and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

From January to June 2019, 122 alleged poachers were arrested in the KNP. A total of 61 firearms have been recovered during anti-poaching operations in the KNP in this period, too.