Elephant & Rhino poaching Hits Home

Rustenburg & Brits – Two men from the Zondela informal settlement in Rustenburg aged 27 and 31, appeared before the Magistrate’s court on Thursday the 6th of October on charges of possession of illegal elephant tusks. This follows after the two suspects were arrested during a covert operation by the Provincial Police (HAWKS) Rhino task team in Hartebeespoort on Wednesday, 5 October.

In the meantime, it was also reported that seven rhinos were killed in a period of six weeks at a private game farm near Brits.
According to the report, nature conservation immediately responded to the emergency call, but the response from the SAPS was not that impressive.
More than 300 rhinos have been killed this year. Last Thursday Nathi Mthethwa, Police Minister, called on police officers to help arm conservationists with semi-automatic weapons in the war against poachers.