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South Africans are urged to report any illegal Rhino activities that they are aware of to .

Help fight the war against rhino poaching!!

MEDIA STATEMENT 15 JANUARY 2012
MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MINISTER EDNA MOLEWA ADDRESSES THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB ON THE ONGOING SCOURGE OF RHINO POACHING AND INTERVENTIONS AIMED AT ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM!

I would like to express my dismay and strong condemnation of the ongoing scourge of rhino poaching in our country, which has seen the staggering number of 448 rhinos illegally killed in South Africa in 2011.
This ongoing poaching of our rhino population is a source for great concern to government and the various stakeholders. It requires of us all as a collective to take drastic measures to help combat it.

I would like to assure you that the government of South Africa views the illegal killing of this national treasure in a very serious light and will continue to prioritise our fight against this crime jointly with our law enforcement agencies. We will continue to implement the various initiatives highlighted last year, while putting in place added measures to address this matter.

Read more: MEDIA STATEMENT 15 JANUARY 2012

150 Additional Rangers for Kruger National Park

Pretoria – 15/01/2012   SAPA report

An additional 150 rangers will be deployed to the Kruger National Park this year in a bid to combat rhino poaching, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said on Sunday.

Molewa, addressing a National Press Club briefing in Pretoria, said that would add to the existing 500 rangers currently employed in the park. Molewa's announcement follows the killing of 11 rhino in the country this year so far.
Two poachers have been killed and another two have been arrested in connection with the rhinos poaching in the Kruger National Park this year. In 2011, 448 rhino were killed in South Africa.
"This on going poaching of our rhino population is a great source of concern to the government."
About 232 people had been arrested for rhino poaching, Molewa said.

Read more: NEWSFLASH!! 150 Additional Field rangers for Kruger Park

We could all do with some GOOD NEWS !!! The pledged funds for the Unite against Poaching Trust fund have been given another boost!

Despite it being December and holiday time, with vehicle sales exected to be lower than normal, the Unitrans VW & Audi Group have once again pledged a phenomenal amount of money to the trust fund. An impressive R 397 000 is being added to the trust fund reflecting December contributions, which brings the total since 1st September 2011 to R 1.865 MILLION!!!

In the light of the carnage against our rhino population in 2011 and the horrific start to 2012, we cant wait to hand these funds over so that the funds may be used exctly where it is needed the most.

Read more: Unite Against Poaching Trust fund swell the coffers in December

SUSPECTED RHINO POACHER ARRESTED

During the afternoon of 11 December 2011, a joint operational team consisting of South African National Parks (SANParks) Rangers and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) arrested a suspected rhino poacher in the Nwa’netsi Ranger Section of the Kruger National Park (KNP).

The team came in contact with a group of three armed suspected rhino poachers wherein a shoot-out ensued which led to one suspect being wounded and arrested. The other two suspects managed to escape back into Mozambique.

During the operation, a hunting rifle and four fresh rhino horns were recovered. Follow-up investigations located one rhino carcass, a second carcass is still being sought. Investigations continue in this regard.

Read more: Suspected Rhino Poacher Arrested