Johannesburg - Teamwork, led at the highest level by the SAPS, and an integrated approach with consumer countries may be the way forward to combat rhino poaching in South Africa.
The proposed solution to the illegal trade in rhino horn was presented by intelligence analyst Lyle Pienaar at Cites (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) COP17 (17th Conference of the Parties) on Sunday, following a report that highlights a global network of crime.
Hosted by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime, the presentation gave an overview of a recent report into rhino poaching and the approach being adopted by the law enforcement teams tasked to combat it.
Julian Rademeyer, author of Killing for Profit and a research fellow at the institute, wrote a two-part report in July on the challenges being faced.
“We need to start confronting some unpalatable truths. Despite the best efforts of law enforcement officials, rhino poaching remains a constantly growing threat,” said Rademeyer, adding it was symptomatic of greater issues in society.
“South Africa has been the focus of this, and the speed of the onslaught is astonishing,” he said. Over 6 000 rhinos have been killed in the past decade across Africa, with 1 377 last year alone.
Rademeyer said socio-economic disparities made for a fertile breeding ground, but that more work was needed between countries to decrease this crime.
He showed slides of known rhino-horn kingpins and statistics that revealed how a network of countries had become involved in the buying of hunting permits, also known as pseudo-hunting.
In his speech at the opening of the conference on Saturday, President Jacob Zuma highlighted rhino poaching as a matter of national security, but reminded people that the issuing of hunting permits facilitated economic development.
“It is also important for all to remember that natural resources do not only sustain livelihoods of communities. They are also critical in promoting economic development.
"Examples of this include the lawful trade in wildlife, including the practice of hunting, which is criticised by many. The hunting sector generates well over a billion rand a year,” said Zuma.
Rademeyer said the Kruger National Park remained “the eye of the storm – hard to comprehend the size of the place – no sense of the place. No witnesses or real evidence – it is the size of Israel or Wales”.
He said the actual work of defending the park fell to the field rangers.
“Rhino poaching is a resource that needs little resources but has great rewards,” said Pienaar, who spoke after Rademeyer on the targeted approach South Africa is undertaking.
He facilitated a get-together with conservation specialists and organised-crime law enforcers.
“We are implementing an integrated approach involving the government and civil society. We kept it simple, with three objectives.
"First, how we investigate, prosecute and adjudicate. Second, to increase the government's ability to detect and prevent poaching.”
Lastly, Pienaar said, the strategy would be led by the SAPS and would begin doing things like improving forensics and arresting corrupt officials.
He said they tried to streamline the policies while also getting the right people around the table.
“We have formed proposals that talk to changing legislation and policies.”
Pienaar said the approach was still being developed at the highest levels, but that some implementations that had already taken place had been successful.
@SamHartsie