Move to shut out illegal anti-poaching organisations
ON THE eve of World Rhino Day on Sunday, the government has moved to try to shut out organisations and individuals illegally collecting money for rhino conservation and anti-poaching operations.
This comes as the number of animals poached in South Africa this year has jumped to 635 – most of them (396) in the Kruger National Park.
Limpopo (64), KwaZulu-Natal (63), North West (62) and Mpumalanga (43) are the provinces where the most rhino have been killed this year.
Last year, 668 rhino were killed throughout the country, 425 of them in the Kruger Park.
The Department of Environmental Affairs confirmed it was inviting all non-profit organisations (NPOs), nongovernment organisations (NGOs), businesses and individuals involved in fighting rhino poaching to register with it by the end of this month.
“The initiative is one of numerous steps being taken to rid the sector of illegitimate and ill-intended operations,” it explained.
It said that during the Rhino Issue Management initiative – a national consultative process headed by former SA National Parks chief executive Mavuso Msimang last year – more than 20 NGOs and NPOs had told it about the work that they were doing.
“Numerous industry roleplayers raised concerns about the legitimacy of organisations involved in fighting rhino poaching, and some of the projects, particularly fundraising.”
The department was planning to establish a National Rhino Fund in consultation with the national Trea-