Pretoria - A secret meeting at Irene Mall, a former soldier and a live pangolin stuffed in a mealie meal bag in a black plastic crate under the seat of a bakkie, were the subjects of a forfeiture order this week in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria.
The female pangolin was allegedly the object of a clandestine sale for Takalani Mudau, 31, who apparently wanted to sell the endangered animal for more than R150000.
But a tip-off to police apparently prevented the sale from going ahead. Mudau is not only facing charges in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court for attempting to sell an endangered animal, but he is minus his Arena Proton bakkie, which he allegedly used to transport the animal.
The office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) had applied for the bakkie to be attached as it was allegedly used to commit an offence. They have now successfully applied for it to be forfeited to the State in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
If Mudau is found guilty, the vehicle will be sold on auction and the money will go into the State’s coffers.
The court was told that pangolins are the most endangered and most poached species in the world. Their thick layer of scales are sought after for medicinal purposes, and they fetch up to R400000 each.
But the NDPP has warned those trying to sell the endangered animal that they will come after whatever instruments are used in the commission of the crime.
Warrant officer Willem Pretorius, of the stock and endangered species unit who is the investigating officer in the matter, said in a statement to the court that the police received a tip-off in August last year that someone was going to sell a pangolin at Irene Mall. They were told that the suspect was driving a Proton.
Members of the flying squad went to the mall, where they found Mudau in a bakkie, which was parked in the area.
They searched the bakkie and reportedly found the crate under the passenger seat. Inside it they found the live pangolin. A veterinary surgeon from Joburg who specialises in wildlife was called to remove the pangolin, and to ensure it was safe and well looked after.
Mudau opted to remain silent, other than to say that he was self-employed. He had been arrested, and was subsequently released on R2000 bail ahead of his trial.
Pretorius claimed Mudau had used the bakkie to negotiate the sale of the pangolin and to transport the animal illegally. As a result he used the vehicle to secure an economic benefit from crime. The court was told that trafficking in endangered species was difficult to prevent, as it took place in secret between a willing buyer and seller.
Investigations revealed that Mudau was formerly an infantryman, Pretorius said. Those in such positions were aware it was illegal to trade in such animals.
Up to now Mudau had made no attempt to get his vehicle back. It was impounded in Benoni. Pretorius said after Mudau as released on bail, he contacted him (Pretorius) to get the keys for the bakkie, which were inside the vehicle. “I asked him if he did not want his car back and he replied that he is not worried about it.”
Pangolins - a scaly anteater - are regarded as the most traded endangered mammal in the world and they are under severe threat of extinction. In the past decade more than a million pangolins have been poached worldwide.
Pretorius said in 2017, 46.8 tons of pangolin scales had been intercepted as they about to be shipped from Africa to Asia. Last year 23 tons left Africa.
“In South Africa the illegal price demanded for pangolin has risen from R9000 in 2009 to R400000 per live animal in 2017.”
In South Africa the bulk of the trade was not in scales but live pangolins, many trapped in game parks. They were, however, trafficked mainly for their scales, which were believed to treat a variety of health conditions in traditional Chinese medicine. Pretorius added that pangolins were a luxury food in Vietnam and China.