Two KwaZulu-Natal farm managers have been arrested following a foiled attempt to poach rhinos at a private game reserve near Mkhuze.
Ewart Potgieter, 34, from Louwsberg, and Riaan Vermaak, 32, a former Louwsberg resident now working in the Newcastle area, were remanded until next week after making an appearance in the Louwsberg Magistrate’s Court.
Also arrested were Nkosinathi Sithole, 34, his brother Mduduzi, 30, and Potgieter’s assistant, Philemon Mbatha, 42.
Potgieter, who also works at his father’s butchery in the Nongoma area, is related to the late “Lang” Ewart Potgieter, a heavyweight boxer who weighed in at 150kg and was known as the “Giant of the Natal Veld”.
This week, his namesake Ewart appeared in court with his alleged accomplices after they were arrested following a two-month undercover operation by the Durban Organised Crime Unit and National Intervention Unit.
Potgieter’s group was arrested at Mkhuze Falls Game Reserve early on Sunday.
Vermaak, believed to have been dressed in full camouflage uniform and carrying a semi-automatic assault rifle, was arrested shortly after cutting his way through a fence.
During a subsequent search of Potgieter’s farm, police found four unlicensed firearms along with 2 000 rounds of ammunition, $20 000 (R152 000) worth of fake currency in $100 notes. They also found several dagga plants and numerous bottles of Temik poison, protected plants including cycads, and python skins.
Meanwhile, police are also investigating several leads following the recent killing of several rhinos at private game reserves in northern KZN.
Over the past month, two rhinos have been poached at Mpofini Game Lodge near Vryheid, two at Chicks Game Lodge near Hluhluwe, and another rhino was killed at Thanda Game Reserve, also near Hluhluwe.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife also announced on Wednesday that it had arrested a staff member in connection with the unlawful possession of animal bones at the eMakhosini Opathe Heritage Park, near Ulundi. Thembinkosi Zulu, a supervisor at the park, is currently in custody, awaiting a trial date.
Sapa reports that a suspected rhino poacher appeared in the White River Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Thursday.
“The case is postponed to [Friday] to put two other suspected poachers on the court roll with him,” said Hawks spokesman Colonel McIntosh Polela.
Mozambican Jose Antonio Sitoe, 29, was arrested on Tuesday when SA National Parks rangers shot dead a suspected rhino poacher and wounded two others in the Kruger National Park.
Polela said park rangers noticed four men crossing a river and ordered them to stop. They allegedly shot at the rangers, who returned fire.
A rifle and several knives, apparently for hacking off rhino horns, were confiscated. Sitoe had already admitted to the killing of three rhinos in the park last week, Polela said. - The Mercury