Rhinos: Controversial safari operator held

2010-09-21 23:24
Julian Rademeyer and Marietie Louw-Carstens, Beeld

Johannesburg - The owner of a safari business, his wife and a professional hunter are among the "masterminds" who have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching.

Dawie Groenewald, 42, the wealthy driving force behind Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris in Polokwane, his wife, Sariette, 34, and Tielman Erasmus, a professional hunter, are behind bars.

They were arrested on Monday along with Dr Karel Toet and Dr Manie du Plessis, two veterinarians from Modimolle, and Toet's wife, Marisa.

Groenewald, a former police official, was suspended from the South African Professional Hunters Association four years ago, and Zimbabwean authorities put a stop to his hunting there.

He was arrested in the US in April this year in connection with a leopard trophy which was illegally hunted in South Africa and exported to the US. He pled guilty and was sentenced to pay a fine of $30 000 (R228 000).

He spent eight days in prison there, over two months under house arrest and also had to pay $7 500 (R57 000) in damages to the American hunter.

He denied in an interview with Media24's investigative team that he was involved in rhino poaching and has been forbidden from entering Zimbabwe.

Notorious

According to the South African Aircraft register, Groenewald is linked to a closed corporation which owns a Robinson R44 helicopter with the registration ZS-HBH.

His wife, Sariette, is listed as a director of Valinor Trading 142 - the owner of the helicopter.

It is a known fact that helicopters are often used during rhino poaching operations.

Groenewald's Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris is rather notorious in hunting circles.

They advertise hunting safaris in Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa and even Zimbabwe, despite the fact that the Zimbabwean nature conservation authority (Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority) forbade them from entering the country in September 2004.

A Zimbabwean cabinet minister and well-known figure in conservation circles, David Coltart, had earlier described Out of Africa to Newsweek as a "cruel organisation which has no respect for the environment" and strives for "unreachable hunting quotas".

Hunting experts in Zimbabwe allege that Out of Africa has strong links with politicians close to President Robert Mugabe.

During the height of political instability in Zimbabwe, the organisation apparently organised hunting safaris on farms and land invaded by Zanu-PF's "war veterans".

Shock

About 100 vehicles from the police and the department of nature conservation raided game farms in the Musina area on Tuesday. A police helicopter and aircraft were also used.

Several people, including professional hunters, were questioned.

There have been no further arrests.

National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said on Monday the nine suspects are allegedly involved in killing rhinos, sawing off their horns and removing the carcasses.

These nine suspects will appear in court in Musina on Wednesday, the day declared International Rhino Day by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The South African Veterinary Association (Sava) expressed its shock over the arrest of Toet and Du Plessis.

It distanced itself from any "colleagues" who might be involved in rhino poaching.

Altogether 210 rhinos have been poached for their horns right across the country since January.