Illegal blood sport hits Eastern Cape Showdown between farmers and 'taxi dog hunters' ends in 16 arrests
Voice notes have revealed how a dramatic showdown between a group of suspected “taxi hunters” and farmers played out — with a farmer assaulted, a pair of dogs shot dead, a dozen buck killed and 16 people arrested.
The voice notes were recorded as farmers raced to stop panga-wielding hunters who are believed to have been gambling as they slaughtered the animals on Sunday on the Casperskop farm.
The farm is situated on the Waaiplaats road between Tarkastad, Cradock and Hofmeyr.
The 16 suspected “taxi hunters”, including a policeman, were arrested at the weekend — and have since been released on bail — in the first confirmed sign that the gambling and sport hunting phenomenon that has plagued rural KwaZulu-Natal has erupted in the Eastern Cape.
The suspects allegedly assaulted one of the farmers and two of the pack of 40 dogs — which killed 11 Springboks and one steenbok within an hour of being deployed — were shot dead in the ensuing confrontation.
Yesterday, police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci confirmed that a member of the Whittlesea SA Police Service was among the suspects arrested.
“The SAPS can confirm that all processes relating to disciplinary measures against the member have been initiated,” Soci said.
The voice notes revealed how a farmer racing to the Casperskop farm was unsure which road to take, while others detailed how the suspects had allegedly tried to disarm two farmers, resulting in the dogs being shot.
Another note indicated there were “20 to 25 guys here, about 40 dogs, one of the farmers was assaulted, they tried to take [two farmers’] firearms away from them but they managed to get away.
“In the process two dogs were shot, they tried to attack the farmers,” the voice note said. Soci said a provincial environmental department official had made the arrests.
“Twelve buck carcasses were found in the suspects’ possession. They were hunted with dogs,” Soci said.
“The carcasses and knives belonging to the suspects were confiscated.
“The dogs were taken to the SPCA in Komani.
“A case of Illegal hunting is being investigated by the Hofmeyr SAPS.”
Eastern Cape economic development, environmental and tourism department spokesperson Ncedo Lisani said the department was only able to release limited information at this point.
“What I can confirm to you now is the arrest of 16 individuals with 38 hunting dogs at Casperskop on May 24, and
that an investigation is under way.”
Agri EC operations manager Brent McNamara said on Wednesday the suspects had been charged at the Hofmeyr police station and had appeared in the Hofmeyr court on Tuesday.
“They were each released on bail of between R500 and R1,000 and are due to appear again next Tuesday.
“The [dead] buck plus their two taxis and a trailer were confiscated.”
On the dogs, he said Agri EC had felt strongly that the pack should be impounded by the SAPS and that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) should be reimbursed for keeping the dogs on their behalf, until a court decision had been made.
“We were adamant that they could not be released back into the community because they are trained to hunt and, in no time, they will be back out there doing the same thing, so we asked that they be sent there.
“The SPCA was unwilling to accept them at first because the state had not reimbursed them for previous impoundments, so we’re feeding the dogs for the moment.
“The normal costs are R75 a day a dog, but the SPCA is doing us a huge favour and not charging, as long as we provide the dog food.
“This, however, cannot go on for much longer and we hope a decision on the fate of these dogs will be made soon.”
McNamara said while small groups of men or youngsters poaching with dogs was common in the Eastern Cape, taxi hunting was much bigger and better organised.
“The usual dog hunting involves guys from the local community,” he said.
“They get something and take it home and eat it.
“Taxi hunting typically involves guys who come in from a long way off, like in this case the suspects came from Komani.
“The whole activity revolves around gambling.
“They bet on which team is going to make the first kill, what species it will be, etcetera.
“It’s a huge illegal business in KwaZulu-Natal and there have been some reports of it happening here, but this is the first confirmation of arrests for taxi hunting in the Eastern Cape that we know of.”
But the Tarkastad incident showed that the activity could be overcome through co-operation, he said.
“The successful arrests effected highlight what can be achieved when community structures and the authorities work together in a co-ordinated manner.
“The support on Sunday to the farming community by the officials from the department of environmental affairs and the SA Police Service is appreciated and we hope that, through partnerships of this nature, the scourge of illegal hunting can be prevented,” McNamara said.
Taxi hunting has also surfaced in the Western Cape and the state conservation department there, CapeNature, has noted that the hunting dogs are usually “lurchers”, crossbred hounds with greyhound and whippet genes.
According to CapeNature, “the reason for these hunts is not even about what the hunters are able to harvest.
“It appears the outcome is solely for the participants to bet — on anything from whose dog and which dog will make the first kill, to which species of animal will be brought down first. The practice may therefore also include illegal gambling.”
Endangered Wildlife Trust People in Conservation Programme manager Dr Jenny Botha said taxi hunting breached various provincial nature conservation ordinances and laws, including the Trespass Act where it occurred without the permission of the landowner.
“Illegal hunting with dogs also breaches the Game Theft Act, the Animal Protection Act and the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act if threatened or protected species are targeted.”
According to the Eastern Cape’s provincial environmental ordinance, both springbok and steenbok are protected species.
Botha said taxi hunters in KwaZulu-Natal often targeted reedbuck and oribi, a grasslands species which also occurred in the Eastern Cape.
“Landowners have experienced financial losses through extensive damage to fencing and fire.
“Illegal hunting with dogs is also sometimes associated with cattle rustling, which affects both private and communal landowners.”
Botha said reports indicated that, as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown and a perceived reduction in rural law enforcement and because there were fewer people around to report suspicious behaviour, in some areas there had been an upswing in poaching including illegal hunting with dogs.