Molewa moves to other side of the fence

WATER and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa’s plans to re-erect a fence along the Kruger National Park border with Mozambique, mark a total U-turn — little more than a year ago she insisted it would do nothing to save the park’s rhino population.

The fence came down in 2002 in an effort to incorporate parks in three neighbouring states, eliminating a barrier commonly associated with the apartheid government’s efforts to seal its borders.

The Kruger Park has borne the brunt of the explosion in rhino poaching in SA since 2008, and by mid-month had lost 229 of the 313 rhinos killed this year.

Many of the poachers caught in the park are Mozambicans.

Erecting a fence would cost R200m-R400m in once-off capital expenditure, and about R100m a year in maintenance, South African National Parks (SANParks) spokesman Rey Thakhuli said yesterday.

Ms Molewa told Parliament this week that the department had set aside R75m for SANParks’ battle against poaching.

Kruger Park spokesman Willie Mabasa said he did not know how much had already been spent on trying to curb the escalation of rhino poaching in the park.

The idea of erecting a fence appears to be one of desperation as attempts to gain Mozambique’s co-operation have come to naught. Ms Molewa said “two or three” meetings with Mozambique on the issue had been postponed, and a change of minister had contributed to the delay.

She said it was hoped President Jacob Zuma and his Mozambique counterpart Armando Guebuza would meet on the issue as “soon as they find space or time”. The niceties had been completed, but signatures were now needed.

International Union for Conservation of Nature rhino specialist group chairman Mike Knight said it appeared Mozambique was “not playing ball” on poaching.

He said he still believed a fence would “not stop people”, and its benefit was largely symbolic.

Earlier this month Limpopo National Park authorities reported that the area’s last rhino had been lost to poachers, who were now setting their sights on the country’s elephants, according to allAfrica.com. With Sapa