Strategies put into place to fight rhino poaching
Five day workshop to adress rhino poaching increase
“The Kruger National Park continues to bear the brunt of Rhino poaching having lost more than 550 of these iconic animals to unscrupulous poachers during the past 11 months,” says Edna Molewa, Minister of water and environmental affairs. The minister delivered the opening speech at the portfolio committee on water and environmental affairs stakeholders’ workshop on rhino poaching held at Skukuza on Monday, December 2.
The seminar is an indication of the importance attached to the scourge of rhino poaching at the highest levels of government. It is clear that the South African government is aware of the seriousness and intensity of wildlife crime especially that of rhino poaching.
In facing the crime which exploits our country’s wildlife assets, the government has established relationships with several international authorities in an attempt to join hands in the fight against illegal poaching. A relationship of mutual legal assistance was developed with the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China in February 2009. As a result of this Hong Kong officials successfully seized 33 rhino horns and elephant ivory products in November. These have now been returned to South Africa and are estimated to be worth R24 million
“Among the initiatives planned for addressing illegal poaching during 2014 is an International Youth Summit on Rhino in which young people from South Africa and Vietnam will exchange ideas and develop initiative in dealing with rhino poaching. Another one is the relocation of villagers living within the Trans frontier Park to villages, and the erection of the outer-boundary fence to enclose the Kruger Park on the Mozambican side, continues Molewa.
She said the government has also made R75 million has been made available to SANParks by the government to combat rhino poaching for the 20/13/14 to 2015/16 financial years. This will include the employment and training of additional rangers
Photo captions
Rhino 1 Honorable Edna Molewa MP
