Controversy surrounds Kruger regional ranger’s relocation

KNP management is expected to remove English from the IPZ and relocate him farther north in the Kruger where there is far less rhino poaching.

Much of this was brought to light by rhino poaching activist and founder of Saving the Wild, Jamie Joseph, after she took to social media on April 14 and strongly criticised and warned against English’s removal from the IPZ, as he “is the most critical rhino ranger on earth”.

Joseph’s post came with numerous allegations against SANParks, including corruption within its ranks, and it questioned the reasoning behind English’s relocation.

In a statement on April 16, Isaac Phaahla, spokesperson for the KNP, said the park had been “inundated with several media queries about internal and operational related matters. The matters enquired about are highly regulated as they involve employer and employee relationships; however, it has become important that SANParks provides clarity”.

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The statement noted the decline in the rhino population over the past 10 years and proceeded to describe in some detail the various efforts and systems put into place to combat rhino poaching.

As a result of a recent strategic workshop held to obtain input and to create plans to reverse the negative trend in the rhino population, “a number of new initiatives aimed to adjust the organisation’s current security efforts are under consideration. It is clear that structural change, greater collaboration with and support for our rangers is required”.

English declined to comment on the ongoing situation, and mentioned to Lowvelder he had asked his family not to get involved either.

This is after his daughter, Debbie, had shared Saving the Wild’s posts on Facebook accompanied by her own addition that her dad had given up his whole life for the KNP and the protection of rhinos, “and this is the treatment he gets”. English has been with the KNP for nearly 35 years.

Another prominent figure in the anti-poaching world, Adv Ansie Venter, also attested to English’s worth in the IPZ. “Don has done wonderful work in the IPZ, but has, at times, paid an unbelievable price for it. The impact he had there was enormous and it is a pity he is moving. Maybe it is his time for living a calmer life and to just be a field ranger in the true sense of the word, and less a soldier.”

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According to Phaahla’s statement, a recent decision was undertaken to rotate two regional rangers and six section rangers for operational reasons. English was one of the rangers identified, and more rotations are set to follow in future.

Phaahla said, “Consultation with rangers on the proposed moves are at an advanced stage with some rangers, and concluded with others. These movements relate to the employment relationship between the employer and employee, are of a sensitive security nature and SANParks does not wish to make any further statements on this matter at the current time.”

DA shadow minister for environ-ment, forestry and fisheries, Dave Bryant, said the party would like SANParks to make this consultation process with the rangers to be made as public as possible without compromising security. “It should be made clear whether rangers fully back the rotation or if there are some concerns among them.” He mentioned that due to the lack of clarity in the SANParks response, assumptions on the possible reasons are being made that put the Kruger in a bad light. “SANParks needs to relook the statement and provide something more transparent.”

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An extract from a Facebook post – Jamie Joseph Saving the Wild #KeepDonInTheIPZ:

These last few days I have shed many agonising tears over what I am about to do, but I need every single one of you to please to share this post if you want to save hundreds of #rhinos in #Kruger.

SANParks management are about to move regional ranger Don English out of Kruger’s IPZ – intense protection zone for rhinos – to far away up north where there are few rhinos. As soon as this happens, the poaching syndicates will infiltrate and smash the IPZ, and a lot of rhinos will be shot and slaughtered. To put this into perspective, when Don was suspended for two months, October to December 2019, on trumped-up charges by rangers caught poaching, poaching more than doubled during those two months.

Don English is the most critical rhino ranger on earth, because he is at the helm of protecting the largest population, and most importantly he is Kruger’s master of intelligence. He handles the informers – information – and warns his ranger teams of incoming incursions so they can set up ambushes. Kruger is the size of a small country – most often poachers are caught because of intel.

I am so sorry to Don’s family for all their suffering, mostly because of the awful way he has been treated by senior members of SANParks management, and I know it would be a lot less heartbreak to just walk away. But his family were raised with the wild, just like my family, and the risks are something we all have to live or die with, because the only thing worse is doing nothing at all.

Don English is one of a kind. Please, stand with us. Keep Don in the IPZ.