IS Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife acting responsibly as the custodians of KZN’s rhinos, for the people of KZN, the rest of South Africa and the world? This is the question put by a concerned reader, whose letter appears below. Ezemvelo’s response follows.
Rhino are being slaughtered daily for their horn while the South African government, including Ezemvelo, does little to counter this onslaught. Read my concerns, then if you are really concerned about our rhino ask some of your own questions.
Ezemvelo shows no political will to ensure our rhino are safe and protected.
The Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife rhino anti-poaching unit (APU) is dysfunctional and falling apart. Why has the ‘only’ very experienced rhino APU field officer resigned? Why are there only senior officer (office) posts filled within the rhino APU and no field officers?
Why is the rhino APU chopper support (zapwing) not flying? What happened to the money and to your donations? How many rhino were there at Ndumo Game Reserve and how many are left – should be 40 plus but there are maybe five. How many rhino were there at Ophathe Game Reserve and how many are left?
There should be 40 plus but now maybe one. Why were all rhino removed from Ozabeni section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and why have the remaining rhino been dehorned in the western shores of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park? Why do rhino poaching incidents seldom feature on the news or even in your local paper? Is it possible that Ezemvelo executives and top management may be considering that they are only able to look after our rhino within the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi park and that the other reserves are a ‘lost cause’?
There have been at least nine rhino poached within the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi park in September 2015 – why are there 40 plus vacant officer and field ranger posts within the KZN Wildlife rhino reserves? Why did Ezemvelo go to bed with over R200-million last year when the anti-rhino poaching unit is in a shocking state and we are now losing rhino at an unsustainable rate? Why has Dr Bandile Mkhize been given a golden handshake for bringing Ezemvelo to a state of collapse?
Do you think our rhino are in good hands? We all need to ask questions and demand answers from the rhino custodians, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the South African government.
In spite of all the problems, there are many hard-working, competent and dedicated fighters on the ground protecting our rhino, who deserve our full support and admiration.
CONCERNED
Reply from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo
The letter seems to have been written by somebody who is disgruntled and at the same time has limited information about what is happening within the organisation. Please see some of my responses to some of the issues raised
1. The Provincial Treasury allocates more than R24-million for rhino security in the province. Thus, to say there is no political will is not true. To date, the province has lost 87 rhino but arrested 48 suspects and confiscated 22 guns. The arrests figures indicate that our APU is fully functional and the allegation that it is falling apart is not true.
2. In all organisations, good and bad employees resign to further their careers. The more experienced you are, the more improved your chances become.
3. Ezemvelo recently advertised a number of positions at different levels and the recruitment process is nearing its end.
4.The tender for the helicopter is in the process of being finalised. It will soon be flying. The delays have been due to the fact that the tender process takes time.
5. We still have rhinos in Ndumo but I can’t tell you how many for security reasons. They are far more than five. The last time we lost rhinos in Ndumo was at the beginning of 2013 and we deployed a new manager. We have not lost a rhino since then.
6. There are enough rhinos at Ophathe and the writer will be happy to know that we have not lost any rhino this year.
7. We are responsible for rhinos in all our game reserves as well as in community and private game reserves. Hluhluwe is a ‘Big Five’ destination and the media seems to be more interested in reporting about what happens there than they do about other game reserves.
8.Yes, we lost nine rhinos in Hhluhluwe iMfolosi Game Reserve over the past long weekend.
9. The figure the writer quoted was not spent due to SCM processes that we had to follow including the studies that still needed to be conducted before we advertised the tender. A large chunk of that money was for road maintenance
10. Mr Mkhize was not given a golden handshake for the reason that the writer indicated, but to ensure that the organisation could begin to focus on its conservation mandate without any disturbances.
