Three men were arrested after they were found in possession of rhino horns in Watergat on Sunday.
The horns are believed to have been removed from three rhinos killed in the Kruger National Park on the same day.
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Emmanuel Mdhuli, Walter Mhangani and Xongani Mathebula appeared in the Skukuza regional court on Monday on charges of trespassing, possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of unlicensed firearm.
“Rangers followed the sound of some shots fired and apprehended the poachers after discovering a dead rhino,” said senior investigator for environmental affairs Frik Roussow.
The park experienced close to 36 poaching incursions daily, said national parks spokesperson Ike Phaahla.
He said poachers must know that if caught they would face a heavy punishment.
“In Mpumalanga, we have had a 100 percent conviction rate and sentences range between seven years to about 40,” he said.
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Local chiefs and traditional leaders, who gathered at the scene, said the surge in rhino poaching could affect the local economy.
“The community makes a living from tourism. Some of them sell items nearby and some work for the park. So if tourists lose interest, there will be no business for the people. This could affect tourism and increase unemployment in the area,” said chief Mathibela Mokoena.
Mokoena said the government must improve its intelligence to ensure that there was protection for the endangered animal.
“We are worried that if any of the big five animals is extinct, tourists may stop supporting [the area].”
One of the alleged poachers is also facing an additional charge of entering the country illegally.
The case was postponed to 4 December for a bail application.
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