JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE
AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARKS - 16
January 2009 - Pretoria - FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE - In a joint operation by various
disciplines of the South African Police
Service including the Mpumalanga, Limpopo
& North West Organised Crime Units,
the Gauteng Provincial Task Team together
with South African National Parks have arrested
and charged 11 suspects in connection with
the poaching of black and white Rhino.
Over the years there has been sporadic slaughtering
of Rhinos in national & provincial parks
and private game reserves in the Mpumulanga,
Limpopo and North West Provinces. Since
2006 several Rhino were shot and their horns
were hacked out, in some cases, brutally
- while the animal/s were still alive.
The close working relationship between our
members from the three provinces and the
parks’ authority resulted in the tracking
and arrest of 5 x Mozambicans (including
one woman), 3 X Chinese men (two Cape Town
based businessmen and a medical doctor from
Bruma Lake), 2 x South Africans and 1 x
person of unknown nationality. The team
also recovered 2 X AK-47 rifles and 4 X
.303 Rifles and R16 000 cash.
These suspects have all been charged with
Illegal Hunting of Game within National
Parks, Unlawful Possession and Dealing in
Rhino Horn and Unlawfull Posession of Firearms.
The suspects have all appeared in courts
around the three provinces but soon all
the cases will be consolidated and brought
before a single court.
The suspects have been identified as follows
:-
1. Washington Hlongwane (Mozambican),
2. Eric Simango (Mozambican )
3. Joshua Baloi (Mozambican),
4. Sarafina Baloi (Mozambican – wife)
5. Joe Mashaba (Mozambican),
6. Peter Blanco (Nationality not confirmed)
7. Phineas Mundhlovu (SA)
8. Mike Peega (SA),
9. Jianwei Wu (CT)
10. Z Yu (CT)
11. Dr Wei Guan Hu (GP)
The vicious tactics employed in the execution
of these animals is just beyond comprehension.
With the assistance of a dedicated specialized
prosecutor the team is working tirelessly
towards securing convictions as well as
the severest punishment possible for all
the suspects. It is imperative that potential
poachers are reminded of the severity of
poaching South Africa’s heritage so this
crime does not persist.
The Rhino horns are suspected to have been
sold to the eastern market between R18 000
to R25 000 a kilogram with the horns weighing
between 8 – 11 kilograms.
"I would like to express my appreciation
to all concerned in this complex and time-consuming
investigation which has resulted in a major
syndicate, responsible for the brutal slaying
of endangered animals, being brought to
book", said Divisional Commissioner
of SAPS Detective Services, Commissioner
Ray Lalla. "The police members, in
close cooperation with SANPARKS, spent days
and nights - even on Christmas day - tracking
these suspects and have put their all into
ensuring that those responsible for the
killing of these beautiful creatures for
blood-money were brought before the courts",
Lalla added.
The Chief Executive of South African National
Parks (SANParks), Dr David Mabunda, said
that rhino poaching seems to be escalating
throughout the world and it is encouraging
to see that the excellent cooperation between
SANParks and the SAPS in South Africa has
been able to achieve such good results in
apprehending these callous offenders. “South
Africa is one of a growing number of countries
in the world where environmental crime is
no longer tolerated and this intensive operation
is further evidence of this”, said Dr Mabunda
wanda mkutshulwa – Head of Communications,
South African National Parks [SANParks]
Vishnu Naidoo - Senior Superintendent, Communication
and Liaison Services, Office of the National
Commissioner
