Activists outraged by Groenewald saga

July 14 2011 at 05:00am
By Kristen van Schie

He is accused of being the kingpin in a rhino-poaching syndicate, but hunting firm owner Dawie Groenewald has continued transporting, buying and hunting rhinos since his arrest – despite facing hundreds of charges.

And it’s the Limpopo Department of Environment that has issued, since the beginning of the year, a dozen permits that allow him to hunt white rhino.

On Thursday morning, he was expected to add nine white rhino to his collection – for R2-million.

Wildlife activists are outraged, and are trying to raise R2-million to keep them. But Groenewald says he “doesn’t understand what the big issue is”.

Since his arrest, Groenewald had been issued with permits to hunt 12 white rhino, two serval, one leopard, three civet cats and one wildcat. He also received permits to transport 17 white rhino. - The Star