Speaking during the Kruger National Parks Achievements Awards last night, Mketeni said Sanparks was saddened by the fact that some arrests made on rhino poaching included their own staff.

“It hurts deeply everytime we have to issue out a media release informing the public that we have arrested a rhino custodian for suspected rhino poaching.

This is a fight we are willing to fight from within. We are happy to stand and vow that no matter how difficult it may seem, we will win the war,” he said.

Directing his message to the employees, Mketeni said: “If you are part of the problem,we will get you and this is no idle warning,” he said.

He also revealed that they had introduced various means of dealing with poaching in the parks.

Such includes the recently launched Project Ivory in the north to deal with elephant poaching which also needs serious intervention.

“Our primary directive is to conservation, the loss of one animal due to human criminality is one too many, ” concluded Mketeni.