MBOMBELA – The Jin Lu Chinese Massage and Beauty Salon at Sonpark Shopping Centre was closed for business yesterday.

Usually it opens on Mondays at 09:00, but following the airing of the documentary, The Poachers’ Pipeline, on Al Jazeera on Sunday, phones went unanswered.

In the programme the owner, Mr Guan Jiang Guang, boasts on a hidden camera about his ability to supply rhino horn to interested buyers. Lowvelder’s attempts to obtain comment from him were fruitless.

He answered his personal cellphone, but very quickly passed it to “Chelsea” who said she worked at the salon. She said the salon would be closed for the day, and that Guang was in China. Chelsea apparently did not know where he lived.

The Shuang Xi Restaurant around the corner is also owned by Guang, according to Sonpark centre management. They know him as “Ken”.

Restaurant manager, Mr Ray Yu, confirmed that Guang was not in Mbombela.

Lowvelder paid a visit to the salon on Sunday, when it was still doing business, though Guang was nowhere to be seen. Three manicurists were on duty.

One of the narrow room’s walls were lined with purple and mint-green bottles of nail polish. Right next to the nail bar there were three small massage cubicles. The grey curtains of one of the cubicles were drawn.

A tall receptionist with glitter on her almond-shaped eyes allocated a small, aggressive manicurist to the journalist.

She looks like the one who appeared in the photo with minister of state security, Mr David Mahlobo, which Guang showed to the investigators of Al Jazeera, as “proof” of their close relationship.

Another client was conversing over the phone in fluent siSwati, but the words “rhino poaching” come up every now and again. Each time they were mentioned the manicurists looked up tensely, their eyes glued to the cellphones next to the tools of their trade.

They had also heard of the documentary and it soon became clear their salon was in for its 15 minutes of fame. The calls were coming in thick and fast for a Sunday afternoon.

The receptionist confirmed they would be open until 20:00.

The one manicurist laughingly confirmed her heavy bangle was made of ivory. The only one of the three who spoke English explained that no such jewellery was for sale at the salon.

On the couch a strong young man with a horseshoe tattoo on his neck and a heavy Afrikaans accent jumped up when the owner of the restaurant next door called him outside and whispered “Al Jazeera…”.

He returned and slouched his strong, lithe body on the leather couch, obviously there perhaps as a boyfriend to protect one of the girls. He played Pokemon to pass the time.

By now the manicurist seemed suspicious that the reporter asked to take a photograph of her. She wanted one in return.

It was almost 15:00 and the curtains to the massage cubicles were drawn open by the masseuse who went out for a quick smoke, her eyes glued to her phone.

A well-built man walked around outside, keeping a close eye on the premises.

In the restaurant next door, the television was tuned to Al Jazeera.

The masseuse was finished smoking. A well-dressed customer arrived in a BMW and they disappear into the salon.

By now it was almost twilight in Mbombela.

At the Jin Lu Chinese Massage and Beauty Salon the working day was far from over.