The FF Plus’s proposal that the Mpumalanga government must turn its attention to offering support to private game reserves in the escalating war against rhino poaching was recently adopted by the Provincial Legislature.
According to statistics published by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment last week, the recent tendencies in rhino poaching seem to be moving away from the Kruger National Park to the surrounding privately owned reserves.
In the Kruger National Park alone, 82 rhinos were poached between January and June this year.
During that same period, 13 poachers were arrested in the park and were subsequently successfully prosecuted.
Partnerships between the public and private sector remain key to combating the illicit trade in rhino horn.
The FF Plus’s proposal entails the provincial government offering those same partnerships to private reserves.
Over the past few months, joint operations between various law-enforcement agencies, the police, the Hawks, the Green Scorpions, customs officials and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) lead to numerous successful arrests and prosecutions.
The FF Plus will ensure that the promised support is indeed provided.
If the government does not extend a helping hand to privately owned reserves, there may be no rhinos left in the province before long.
Read the original article in Afrikaans by Werner Weber on FF Plus
