Johannesburg - A company associated with billionaire Christo Wiese was among those that were refunded R14 million in deposits after a contract to buy rhinos from SA National Parks was cancelled, a parks official said on Monday.
Professional hunter Jacques Hartzenberg had a deposit of R8m refunded after the planned sale was found to be invalid, GC Dry, a parks board member, said.
“Christo Wiese has an association with Hartzenberg,” he said.
“It’s the same company.” South Africa, home to most of the world’s rhinos, planned to relocate some of the animals from Kruger National Park to undisclosed sites to protect them from poachers, Environment Minister Edna Molewa said last month.
This year 638 rhinos have been poached in the country. – Bloomberg