Twenty-four suspected rhino poachers have been arrested in the Kruger National Park in the past two weeks, the water and environmental affairs department said on Thursday.
“The law enforcement agencies, and rangers in the Kruger National Park, are commended for their actions and commitment to the fight against rhino poaching,” said Water and Environmental Affair Minister Edna Molewa.
The arrests brought to 191 the number of suspected rhino poachers arrested across the country since January 1.
“Among the total number of rhino poached, 64 have been killed in Limpopo, 62 in KwaZulu-Natal, 62 in North West, and 42 in Mpumalanga,” said Molewa.
She said 618 rhino had been poached since the beginning of the year, 381 of them in the Kruger National Park.
“The commitment to conservation requires the support of everyone in order to stem the tide of rhino poaching,” Molewa said.
Sapa