Sello was briefing Parliament’s portfolio committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries on Tuesday.

In recent months, there has been an increase in reports of crime, such as muggings, in Table Mountain National Park.

Volunteer groups under the banner of #SaveTableMountain have started a petition calling on SANParks to deal with rising crime and the deterioration of trails on the mountain.

Presenting in Parliament on Tuesday, Sello said the mountain faces an urban crime “spillover” from the city.

“The national park is a microcosm of the challenges that the City of Cape Town faces,” she said.

Sello said the park is vast in size and has open access, meaning many areas don’t have fences or gates.

In the past year, SANParks has increased the number of “boots on the ground” by employing more Sea, Air and Mountain (SEAM) rangers, from 16 to 40. SANParks staff have increased from 188 to 240. SANParks is appointing a senior manager of visitor safety and protection services – someone who “understands urban crime”, said Sello.

The volunteer safety services will be revitalised in 2026, she said.

The park is a “critical pillar” in SANParks’ revenue generation and a “major contributor to our financial sustainability”, said Sello.

Over the past five years, the park generated over R1.34-billion in revenue, largely through the cable car, Cape Point and the Boulders Penguin Colony.

“The issue of crime is by far the largest and most critical risk we face on Table Mountain … We are increasing our investment. The question is: will there ever be enough, given the size of the problem?”

SANParks has also invested in new security technology, such as drones and bodycams for rangers.

“We are hopeful and positive about how technology will assist us,” she said.

Sello said crime statistics showed a decrease in crime on the mountain. Numbers from SANParks previously sent to GroundUp, show that there were 133 robberies in 2023, and 58 in 2024. But this year, there have already been 53 robberies, and the statistics show robberies tend to spike towards the end of the year.

EFF MP Nazier Paulsen raised doubt over whether SANParks’ increase in staff would “ensure an immediate and significant reduction in criminal incidents”.

ANC MP Nkhensani Kate Bilankulu said, “Despite the enhanced security measures described, reports of attacks, assault, and illegal poaching … remain a concern.”

Bilankulu asked about the targets SANParks was using to measure the success of crime interventions, whether park management would be held accountable if targets are not met, and requested that progress reports be shared publicly.

MK party MP Siyabonga Mkhize said that despite the billions in revenue generated by the park, visitor safety remained a “failure”. He questioned whether SANParks has “lost public trust”.

Written by Liezl Human for GroundUp and republished with permission. The original article can be found here.

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With nearly 3-million visitors in 2023-4, the park attracts more visitors than any of the other parks managed by SANParks, including the Kruger National Park. Nearly half of all SANParks visitors come to Table Mountain, according to SANParks annual report.

A petition launched about a month ago called the #SaveTableMountain campaign, driven by Friends of Table Mountain, calls on SANParks to address safety at crime hotspots.

There were 59 robberies in Table Mountain National Park in 2022, 133 in 2023, and 58 in 2024, according to SANParks. Already this year there have been 53 robberies, and since robberies tend to spike towards the end of the year — in 2023 there were 30 robberies in October, 38 in November, and 11 in December — volunteers fear the worst is still to come.

Volunteer groups working in the Table Mountain National Park say there has been an increase in violent crime on the mountain.

SANParks denies that there is an increase in crime on the mountain. “There was a spike earlier this year but figures have since stabilised to below single digits,” said spokesperson JP Louw.

“There are spikes in incidents and crime that happen over the years during certain months, particularly the summer months when there are more tourists visiting Cape Town,” he said.

But volunteer groups do not agree. “Crime is on an active increase,” said Blake Dyason, founder of volunteer group Love our Trails.

“The crime is getting worse every year,” said Taahir Osman, founder of Take Back Our Mountains. He said that from 2023 to now, they’ve noticed an uptick in violent crime.

Louw said the mountain was “an open access park with numerous entry points and an extensive urban-park interface. The park is affected by urban crime spillover. This makes law enforcement challenging and means it’s vital to have joint effort with SAPS and City law enforcement.”

He said they were collaborating with SAPS and the City of Cape Town on joint patrols and information sharing.

But Dyason says most of the muggings and car break-ins take place at a few hotspots such as Lion’s Head and Signal Hill.

Signatories to the #SaveTableMountain petition have also raised concerns about overgrown or deteriorating trails, insufficient signage on trails, and invasive vegetation and trees.

They also complain about decaying tourism infrastructure, such as the Rhodes Memorial Tea Garden which burnt down in 2021 and has not been repaired, as well as other infrastructure at Orange Kloof Tented Camp, Lister’s Tearoom and the Tokai Manor House.

Louw said that tenders had been advertised for bulk services upgrades of the Tokai area and the Rhodes Memorial restaurant, to be completed in 2026. A heritage management plan is also being developed for the Tokai Arboretum, said Louw.

Rhodes Memorial restaurant will have its bulk services upgraded by 2026, according to SANParks.

Several volunteer groups work on the mountain. They maintain hiking trails, do safety patrols, and remove invasive species. “There is a lot of unhappiness with the way the park is being managed,” said Andy Davies, Friends of Table Mountain chairperson.

The group regularly fixes eroded and deteriorating trails on the mountain and puts up signage on trails to prevent people from getting lost. Last year, they fixed about 30km of trails.

Davies said SANParks often did not respond to reports of problems. “We don’t want to be entitled and demand stuff. We are trying to be constructive. We want to prevent the damage to trails and infrastructure,” he said.

Andy Davies, chairperson of Friends of Table Mountain, says they fixed about 30km of trails last year. Louw said there were 850km of trails in the park.

“Trail maintenance is continuous due to wear and tear from millions of users, winter rains which cause erosion, and fires which affect trail infrastructure and soil stability,” said Louw.

Dyason was concerned that SANParks was relying too much on all the volunteer groups working on the mountain. “If those groups stopped doing what they did, this mountain would be in serious trouble,” he said.

However, not all volunteer groups working on the mountain are critical of SANParks. Maya Naumann, from the Sugarbird Project, which removes invasive alien species on Table Mountain, said that they’ve established a good formalised relationship with SANParks.

“It was never an expectation we had that SANParks could do this on their own because it’s such a big problem,” she said.

This article was republished with permission from GroundUp, the original article can be found here.

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The fire trucks – stationed in the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) – are being utilised to supplement water provision and relief efforts. Though SANParks is not a formal member of the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) established by the Knysna Municipality on 14 May 2025, the organisation has promised sustained collaboration with the local authorities to ensure poor communities are not overlooked.

A Town under pressure

Knysna, a popular holiday resort in the Garden Route region of the Western Cape, has been subject to the environment pressures for some time now. The repetition of droughts, outdated infrastructure, and the rise of city needs have all served to place the water supplies of the municipality under severe pressure. The current crisis has identified the town’s water systems as vulnerable, forcing the local authorities to respond with emergency measures in the way of water rationing, pressure relief, and tanker supply services.

With dams at record high levels and rainfall unreliable, the town’s ability to provide has become precarious. The activation of the JOC is the sole evidence of how serious the situation is. The centre will oversee all crisis management operations, centralizing decision-making, and making sure that the most important services continue operating.

SANParks’ role: More than conservation

Even though SANParks’ fundamental mandate is the conservation of the country’s natural heritage through the system of national parks, today it has a wider role to play in national resilience. The deployment of fire trucks – a resource that is usually reserved for battling fires within national parks – is another sign of SANParks’ presence in civic life and disaster risk reduction.

“The assistance through SANParks is a wonderful example of whole-of-government cooperation,” said JP Louw, SANParks Spokesperson and Head of Communications.

“It’s a matter of covering gaps where we can, especially when it involves cases of emergency that affect our neighbours and communities around our parks.”

The Garden Route National Park, which transects fragments of Knysna, Tsitsikamma, and Wilderness, is both ecologically important and strongly connected to human-settled regions surrounding it. This makes SANParks’ entry into the water crisis not only an act of good will but a reasonable move to protect both environmental and community well-being.

Broader implications: Resilience through partnership

This deployment, though in the capacity of merely two trucks, is illustrative of an overarching discussion regarding South Africa’s response to its common water and climate-related issues. It is indicative of the importance of coordination between governments – specifically environmental, municipal, and emergency agencies – when addressing systemic threats.

Experts have been calling for the “climate-proofing” of towns like Knysna, where large volumes of tourists and sensitive ecosystems coincide. Scarcity of water, exacerbated by global warming, is no longer an intermittent threat but an ongoing reality. The deployment also shows how institutions like SANParks, with a capacity to operate in the distance and deploy speedily, can be efficient allies in metropolitan disaster management.

A community in waiting

While residents wait in anticipation of rains or more permanent infrastructure relief, the assistance from SANParks is being embraced as a welcome augmentation. But others are demanding longer-term thinking beyond the response mode – upgrading water networks, increasing storage capacity, and more carefully integrating conservation and municipal planning.

Phokela Lebea, SANParks’ Regional Communications Manager at the Garden Route National Park, made it plain that SANParks would “continue to review the situation and provide further support where possible”.

Ultimately, the SANParks fire truck deployment may appear small compared to the theme of Knysna’s water shortage, but it signals a broader trend – towards coordinated disaster response, environmental cohesion, and trans-agency readiness. As climate pressures mount and water scarcity the new reality for most South African municipalities, it is these acts of institutional collaboration that can pave the way towards more resilient, community-based solutions.

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“The loss of 103 rhinos to poaching in the first three months of 2025 is a stark reminder of the relentless threat to our wildlife. Yet, the absence of poaching in four provinces shows that our targeted interventions are yielding results, and we must build on this progress,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said on Monday.

The latest statistics for the period 1 January to 31 March 2025 are closely aligned with the average monthly poaching rate of 35 rhinos over the previous 12 months (420 rhinos annually).

The Minister said the figures underscore the sustained pressure on the rhino populations and the urgent need for intensified efforts to combat this illegal activity.

The breakdown of poaching incidents by province reveals that South African National Parks (SANParks) recorded the highest number of losses, with 65 rhinos poached.

KwaZulu-Natal reported 16 cases, followed by Limpopo with 10, Free State with five, the North West with four, and Mpumalanga with three. No rhinos were poached in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, or Gauteng during this period.

To strengthen efforts against wildlife crime, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has taken proactive measures to address factors related to bail applications for perpetrators.

“We are working closely with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure that repeat offenders and those with no fixed address face stronger opposition to bail,” George said.

The department shares best-practice affidavits with investigators to ensure more effective bail opposition and is exploring options to secure funding for dedicated support to SAPS in these applications.

“The South African government remains steadfast in its commitment to combating wildlife crime. We continue to strengthen anti-poaching measures, including enhanced ranger patrols, advanced surveillance technologies, and collaboration with national and international law enforcement agencies.

“We are also working closely with various stakeholders to bolster anti-poaching efforts through the deployment of cutting-edge technologies such as drones and thermal radars. Additionally, we are engaging with communities living near protected areas to foster sustainable livelihoods and reduce the socioeconomic drivers of poaching,” the Minister said.

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The SANParks helicopter, primarily stationed at Kruger National Park, was temporarily stationed in the Western Cape Province to provide muscle to security operations across TMNP. The aerial asset is part of a multi-pronged strategy complemented by the recent boost in the highly skilled Sea, Air, Mountain (SEAM) unit, an elite response ranger unit for rapid and agile deployment on diverse terrain.

JP Louw, Head of Communications at SANParks and official spokesperson, also affirmed that the helicopter’s presence is already yielding positive results.

“The helicopter made its debut day a successful one when, during an aerial surveillance and ground-level operation, it was used to monitor a suspicious individual carrying a knife,” said Louw.

“Following a coordinated response, the individual was apprehended by our ground unit. During further investigation, it was discovered that the individual had a long record.”

This training emphasised the mandatory position the helicopter will play – not only as a deterrent, but also as an intervention tool in quick response. TMNP, which is visited by thousands of locals and foreigners annually, often sees the number of visitors increase significantly during holidays such as Easter, Christmas, and New Year. Air support during these peak times has been a game-changer in maintaining order and ensuring visitor safety.

“The coordination of our ground and airborne units is paramount,” commented Louw.

“It enables us to rapidly mobilize whenever a threat is perceived – be it criminal behavior or environmental risks like the evolution of wildfires.”

Indeed, one of the other advantages of having a helicopter on-site is that it can be used to help control and monitor for fire hazards, which have also spread more frequently in the area due to people and global climate change. Terrain is harshly beautiful, yet notoriously difficult to patrol quickly by foot. The helicopter’s capability to scan large areas within a very short span of time provides SANParks with a key advantage in keeping illegal fires from spreading and destroying the environment.

Table Mountain National Park guests are urged to make use of the site responsibly. SANParks reminds the public that the park is open to all people from sunrise until sunset, but safety should never be compromised. It is essential to travel in groups, employ appropriate hiking gear, and check the weather when venturing into the park for a safe and pleasurable experience.

In a similar development, SANParks has also reacted to growing concerns over mining interests within protected areas. In recent reports, Kropz Elandsfontein (Pty) Limited has expressed interest in applying for the de-proclamation of some of the land currently under protection within the West Coast National Park.

SANParks has been strongly opposed to such a project.

“We have made known to Kropz and all the interested parties that no mining activity can ever be permitted inside a national park,” stated Louw.

“This is in particular banned under section 48(1)(a) of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 57 of 2003.”

The institution maintains that nature conservation and eco-friendly public use of South Africa’s natural assets must be prior to commercial demands.

With improved air surveillance, dedicated ranger units, and controlled environmental management, SANParks remains committed to the protection of the integrity of its parks and ensuring each visitor an enjoyable, safe experience.

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KNP dog handlers stationed at the park’s Kruger and Phabeni gates, tasked as part of what SANParks said was “a special operation” in January 2020 flagged a suspicious vehicle on a gravel road linking Skukuza and Pretoriuskop. The driver ignored the stop request with Kruger personnel in a short-lived chase. Two passengers exited and fled leaving the driver to face the music. A hunting rifle was found in the vehicle with the driver protesting innocence of any crime and claiming he was hijacked.

Support in the form of Kruger rangers, the park’s environmental investigation unit and protection services as well as police were summoned with a SANParks statement making no mention of the passengers. Ammunition, probably for the rifle, was found along with two knives.

On 10 April, the Skukuza Regional Court found the erstwhile driver, one Elias Sithole, guilty on six charges – possession of an unlicensed firearm; conspiracy to commit a crime; and possession of firearm with serial number removed, with intent to commit a crime as well as possession of unlicensed ammunition and knives (dangerous weapons). He was sentenced to an effective 11 years behind bars.

Sithole’s 11 year sentence pales into insignificance when taken alongside the 110 years handed down to Zimbabwean Thomas Chauke, also known as Sazu Nkambuya in the Makhanda High Court.

The 54-year-old was found guilty on six rhino poaching and wildlife related crimes and three counts of escaping from custody, SAnews reported.

His appearance and sentencing in the Eastern Cape province high court ended an extensive investigation involving SA Police Service (SAPS) head office detectives and the Stock Theft and Endangered Species (STES) Unit. In addition to the wildlife crimes in the the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces Chauke was linked to armed robbery, rape and kidnapping cases.

He pleaded guilty to all the charges and was sentenced to 110 years behind bar.

Chauke’s sentencing was called “a landmark judgement” by Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, who wants stricter bail conditions set for foreigner, such as Chauke, arrested for wildlife crimes.

His department is reportedly working with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and SAPS through platforms like the National Biodiversity Investigators Forum (NBIF) to enhance opposition to bail, particularly for repeat offenders and foreign nationals with no fixed address.

“The discussions focus on improving the quality of affidavits drafted by investigating officers to present stronger cases in court. The department is sharing best practice affidavits with investigators to ensure more effective bail opposition and is exploring options to secure funding for dedicated support to SAPS in these applications,” a Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) statement has it.

The upcoming Environmental Management Inspectors (EMI) executive training will see the NPA address bail-related issues, allowing for direct engagement with the Minister and other stakeholders.

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A legacy of conservation and protection

SANParks has been a leader in conservation in South Africa for decades, serving a critical role in protecting the country’s vast biodiversity in its 21 national parks. Over the years, the organization has used innovative anti-poaching tactics, community outreach initiatives, and cutting-edge monitoring systems to safeguard wildlife and natural environments.

Table Mountain National Park, a place of landmark significance and a UNESCO World Heritage site, poses distinctive challenges due to its proximity to urban centers, leaving it susceptible to illegal ventures such as poaching, the theft of plants, and violent crime against tourist visitors. With an eye out for all these threats, SANParks has dynamically expanded ranger units, dispatching specialized forces to offer human security as well as nature protection.

Elite rangers trained for high-risk operations

The 24 graduates of SEAM were given extensive paramilitary training that would prepare them for specialized missions in environmental protection. They were subjected to tests of mental and physical fitness, intelligence-led operations, and compatibility with multi-functional units such as aerial support, canine tracking, and marine security.

With this additional cohort, the SEAM unit has expanded from 16 to 40 well-trained rangers, greatly increasing their capacity to respond to a wide range of threats. The SEAM team has been instrumental in making arrests, conducting patrols, and engaging in proactive security actions:

– 116 arrests since the team was deployed in December 2021.

– 88 helicopter deployments for rapid-response interventions.

– 1,003 foot patrols to police key areas in TMNP.

– 400 deployments of canine units to detect, apprehend, and chase.

The intelligence-driven strategy of the unit guarantees that the operations concentrate on risky behaviors such as poaching, illegal cultivation of rare plant species, and armed robberies that put tourists and biodiversity at risk.

Partnering towards a sustainable future

SEAM’s achievements are complemented by essential collaborations with its partners, i.e., SANParks Honorary Rangers, Table Mountain Fund (WWF affiliated trust), and Foundation for a Sustainable Future. Through such collaborations, significant financing as well as ongoing support for training, buying equipment, and sustainable operations is made possible.

JP Louw, Head of Communications at SANParks, spoke to the importance of these partnerships in the long-term conservation of South Africa’s natural resources.

“SANParks strives to build these relationships to secure enduring and long-term support for ongoing enhancement of collective efforts to protect our natural resources for future generations and ourselves.”

Ensuring the conservation future

As threats to biodiversity become more complex, SANParks remains at the cutting edge of conservation. The expansion of the SEAM team is a daring move towards enhancing the security of the Table Mountain National Park and ensuring South Africa remains a world leader in environmental conservation.

With a resurged ranger corps, sophisticated operational tactics, and committed partnerships, SANParks not only protects one of the country’s most cherished natural symbols but also provides a template for conservation-oriented security models worldwide.

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Addressing the United for Wildflife Global Summit 2024 in Cape Town on Monday, the Minister said the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) plays an indispensable role in shaping South Africa’s future within the borders and in the increasingly complex global geopolitical landscape.

“However, despite local and international efforts to address environmental crime at the highest levels of government, it is essential that we now refocus our efforts towards action.

“Representatives from the police, customs, prosecuting authorities, financial intelligence units, and environmental and wildlife investigative agencies all hold crucial roles, and your collaboration is essential.

“We all recognise this global scourge that can only be overcome through a focused and integrated international effort,” the Minister said.

South Africa’s wildlife, plant life and marine life is a target for illicit activities.

“Our lions, rhinoceros, pangolin, succulent plants, abalone, and our fish stock, to name only a few, are significantly at risk and we must respond.

“These crimes… have a devastating impact on our country’s moral fabric (where the poaching culture consumes communities) on our existing and potential eco-tourism industry, and on our good standing in the international community as custodians of irreplaceable natural heritage,” George said.

He emphasised that South Africa remains resolutely focused on implementing the National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking.

This strategy aims to establish a well-resourced, integrated, multidisciplinary law enforcement approach to dismantle the illicit value chain of wildlife trafficking within our country and beyond.

“We recognise that achieving this objective requires the unwavering commitment of our entire government to enhance law enforcement capabilities and to mobilise societal support.

“As part of implementing the strategy, South Africa actively participated in both informal and formal negotiations leading up to the recent United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, Conference of Parties.

“We supported the resolution sponsored by Brazil, France, and Peru, which aims to enhance measures to prevent and combat crimes affecting the environment. This important document recognises that environmental crimes has evolved into a major form of transnational organised crime,” the Minister said.

South Africa remains committed to implementing the key proposals outlined in the resolution.

“We must confront the stark reality that these crimes are not isolated to a series of arbitrary incidents, and that they have developed into highly sophisticated, greed-driven enterprises orchestrated by international criminal syndicates.

“They exploit our natural heritage for financial gain and cause immeasurable harm to the environment while undermining our conservation efforts. These environmental crimes threaten to ravage the world’s natural resources, impose immense financial burdens, and lead to the widespread loss of economic and development opportunities.

“While we are keenly aware of the threat this poses to security and the rule of law, we must also remain cognisant of the complex issues of poverty and the lack of alternative livelihoods that contribute to the rise of such illicit activities,” the Minister said.

South Africa has also actively participated in WIRE meetings since 2016, which have been instrumental in overcoming obstacles related to information sharing and cooperation in investigations.

“This has provided an invaluable platform that enables the international community to strategies, overcome obstacles, ensure meaningful cooperation, and respond swiftly when necessary, despite the bureaucratic processes inherent in any government.

“Collaborating with international counterparts is crucial for tackling wildlife crime, especially since the illicit market is primarily in Southeast Asia. It is essential that we reinforce our working relationship with law enforcement agencies in these countries,” the Minister said.

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The initiative intends to align conservation more decisively to redress and advancement of shared economic growth in ways that can tangibly changes lives, Singh said. This model of conservation aims to promote social justice and inclusivity, by guaranteeing that all communities, particularly the disadvantaged and marginalised, have fair and equitable access to opportunities and resources.

According to a statement from the department, Vision 2040 reimagines the future of conservation and the institutional fitness of SANParks. Vision 2040 aims to ensure that every South African has a stake in conservation, with tangible benefits that improve livelihoods and create opportunities.

In seeking to realise this future, SANParks believes there is a need to examine its current organisational form, and as the country’s leading conservation agency, how it will be able to fulfill Vision 2040.

Singh congratulated the Board and management of SANParks as he supported the intended approach of implementing Vision 2040 through the rollout of Mega Living Landscapes (MLL).

MLLs are large, interconnected areas that intend to break the myth that conservation is solely the playground of scientists and environmentalists. The department invited ordinary South Africans to find their place within Vision 2040. MLL protected areas will no longer be isolated islands but rather interconnected to their surrounding communities. This approach seeks to foster co-existence, inclusivity, and sustainable development, ensuring that more South Africans are able to participate in conservation efforts.

“SANParks believes we are heading into a future in which authorities and entities which own national parks, farmland, provincial and municipal land, and communal land, could explore improved means of co-existence, with the possibility of benefit sharing as part of South Africa’s conservation estate. Entities could explore the declaration of lands under one entity, which would become a MLL. The resulting MLL would become an anchor for local development, providing jobs, supporting local entrepreneurs, and fostering educational opportunities,” the department said.

The journey to Vision 2040 began in 2022 when SANParks embarked on a consultation process throughout the country. Engagements were conducted with communities neighbouring national parks, visitors to national parks, traditional leaders, employees, conservationists, traditional healers, women, scientists and youth organizations. These inputs helped shape a shared vision for the future of conservation in South Africa as encapsulated in Vision 2040.

Vision 2040 is further part of South Africa’s response to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s goal of conserving 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, and coastal areas, popularly referred to as the 30 x 30 principle. In South Africa, this means expanding conservation lands by an additional 14 million hectares, creating a vast network of interconnected, ecologically vibrant areas.

Singh challenged SANParks to reconvene annually to report back on the Vision 2040 commitments made. In response to this call SANParks will embed Vision 2040 in its plans and integrate it as part of its performance reporting.

Counter-poaching activities are crucial to the success of initiatives like Vision 2040, as they directly address the threats to biodiversity and the ecological balance that conservation efforts aim to protect. Effective counter-poaching strategies foster trust and cooperation between local communities and conservation authorities, ensuring that marginalized groups see tangible benefits from conservation efforts. Counter-poaching is not just about protecting wildlife; it is about creating a sustainable future where both nature and people can thrive together.

In a further sign of efforts to combat poaching, SANParks announced that two former Kruger National Park Rangers were sentenced on 27 September 2024 to an effective 20-year jail term for their involvement in rhino poaching.

Lucky Mkanzi and Joe Sihlangu were field rangers attached to the Crocodile bridge Section of the Park and were arrested in January 2019 in an intelligence driven operation. Information was received that both accused were involved in the transportation of poaching suspects in the Godleni area of the section where two carcasses of white rhino were discovered. Analysis of their vehicle tracking device placed them at the vicinity of the crime scene. The two were taken into custody and confessed to taking part in the crime. An amount of R41 000 was recovered from Shilhangu’s room and it was determined that the money was payment for his participations in the commission of the crime.

SANParks, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Agency said they hoped these sentences will send a strong message to the Rangers’ Corps that criminality will not be tolerated and that those involved will face the full might of the law and suffer the consequences of their action.

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They, according to a SANParks statement, made the grade after finishing the basic field ranger course. A passing out parade at Skukuza, the unofficial capital of the KNP, saw the newcomers officially join the corps on 3 September.

They will boost ranger numbers and efforts to support law enforcement and conservation.

Ahead of the classroom and practical training, the then would-be field rangers underwent physical fitness screening along with evaluations and interviews as well as cognitive and aptitude tests. They also, the statement notes, had to portray “a dedicated attitude, as well as a commitment to teamwork to qualify for the job”.

Deployment was immediate after the Tuesday passing out parade. The statement has it further the newcomers will work in any of Kruger’s 22 designated ranger sections. KNP Ranger Services appoints section rangers for each section with regional rangers managing a specified number of sections their immediate superiors.

Regional rangers also work with the park’s Environmental Crime Investigations Unit, Protection Services, Special Operations Unit, K9 unit and Air Services. In turn these internal divisions and units work with the SA Police Service (SAPS) stock theft and endangered species unit based in Skukuza.

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