Community praises police efforts to protect rhino
Off-duty officers make a valiant effort to protect the remaining rhino at Rietvlei nature reserve.
Rietvlei residents have praised the efforts of dedicated police officers who patrol the Rietvlei nature reserve when off-duty.
Meyer Pheiffer, head of the Lyttelton sector 6 community policing forum, who leads the community’s push for the upgrade of security at the reserve, said the officers’ efforts made serious strides towards keeping the remaining rhinos safe.
“These officers take the time to patrol the reserve after their shifts have ended. They received special permission from Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Phogole, head of the Lyttelton police station, to do so,” said Pheiffer.
The Lyttelton police officers’ efforts come after two white rhinos, one pregnant, were poached at the reserve at the end of May.
During an urgent community meeting two days after the poaching, it emerged that the reserve’s security was seriously understaffed.
The number of security staff left at Rietvlei was not disclosed for security reasons.
Pheiffer said a petition to remove the current security company was being drawn up and a proposition for a new security company would be handed to the Tshwane metro.
“It seems the police are the only authorities who have thus far honoured and even exceeded the requests from the community to assist with the dire situation at Rietvlei.”
Lyttelton police spokesperson Warrant Officer Hero Gumbu said on-duty officers would still regularly patrol the reserve.
“We are thankful for the extra effort the officers are putting in to patrol Rietvlei,” said Gumbu.
Tshwane metro spokesperson Blessing Manale also recently condemned the killing of the rhinos.
“This has dealt an immeasurable blow to our conservation efforts among a global outcry of the increasing rate of rhino poaching in our protected areas and parks in Tshwane and South Africa in general,” said Manale.
He denied that the recent suspension of Ritevlei manager Riaan Marais could be linked to the increase in poaching, despite an outcry from the community over Marais’s absence.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram.
- We have exciting news! We’re offering a free alert to help you always be in the loop. Send an email with the word ‘Subscribe’ to breakingnews@rekord.co.za to receive your free daily breaking news update.
