Molewa announces plan to sell stockpiled horns

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa believes the government can stop rhino poaching by a once-off sale of rhino horns.

Molewa made this announcement during a media briefing on Wednesday, 3 July.  According to Molewa, the South African government has approved the development and submission of a proposal to the 17th conference of parties to CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which is scheduled to take place here in South Africa in 2016.

This proposal will try to lobby for the ban on international trade in rhino horn to be lifted to allow a once-off sale of South Africa’s rhino horn to address the poaching bloodbath in the country. “The establishment of a well-regulated international trade could assist in this regard, if implemented in conjunction with all the other interventions to curb rhino poaching,” said Molewa. “South Africa cannot continue to be held hostage by the syndicates who are slaughtering our rhinos," Molewa added.

Molewa said South Africa had the ability to make rhino horn available on the market without impacting on the species, by means of a regulated trade system.

Deputy Director General of Biodiversity and Conservation of the Department of Environmental Affairs Mrs Fundisile Mketeni added that the aim was to sell horns collected from natural fatalities.

The once-off sale model is envisaged along the lines of four CITES-approved auctions of elephant ivory from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe during 2008 to accredited traders from China and Japan. Mketeni said South Africa had about 16 437 kilograms of stockpiled rhino horn, while 2 091 kilograms there of were in private hands.

Members of CITES will vote on South Africa’s proposal in 2016 when it has been submitted by Molewa’s department. At the time of Molewa’s press conference, a total number of 461 rhinos had been poached in South Africa for their horns. 

In the meantime, the Limpopo Police announced on Monday that they had arrested three suspected rhino poachers at a private game farm near Phalaborwa. One is a 50-year-old South African and two were unidentified Mozambicans.

According to provincial police spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi, the police acted on a tip-off that the suspects were on their way to shoot and kill the rhinos for their horns. The situation, said Mulaudzi, was monitored and the suspects were spotted in their Ford Fiesta on Sunday near Hoedspruit.  The police’s tactical response team and stock theft unit immediately closed in on the suspects and arrested them. During the arrest, an unlicensed hunting rifle and 9mm-pistol were found in the suspects’ possession.

Mulaudzi reminded the public that reward money of up to R500 000 can be paid to members of the public who can provide information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved in the act of rhino poaching or dealing in rhino horns.

News - Date: 11 July 2013

Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

Email: [email protected]