Rhino suspects held

Two Zimbabwean nationals and a South African who were arrested on Friday in connection with poaching at the Buckland’s Private Game Reserve appeared briefly in the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court on Wednesday and their case was postponed to 25 July.

Senior State Prosecutor Buks Coetzee said the case has been postponed for further investigation by the police.

The three have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance. In a media statement on Monday 20 June, provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Sibongile Soci said the three men were arrested in the Makana resort at chalet 8 at about 10pm.

“The suspects are Forget Ndlovu, 40, residing in Pacaltsdorp, George, Jabulani Ndlovu, 38, residing at Cleonie Crescent, Port Elizabeth and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, 37, residing at NU 9, Motherwell, Port Elizabeth. “Forget and Jabulani are not related and are Zimbabwean citizens. Sikhumbuzo is a South African citizen,” said Soci.

She said the men were found with one freshly harvested 72cm rhino horn valued at approximately R1.2 million, one darting rifle, saws and knives, drugs used to dart animals, various darts and percussion caps, a variety of camping gear and rations, several cellphones and two rental vehicles.

“The suspects have been identified as a grouping and are linked to the recent poaching of a rhino at Buckland’s Private Game Reserve. The rhino was last seen alive on 17 June at about 9.30am. It is suspected that the rhino was darted.

“The suspects could possibly be linked to 10 rhino poaching incidents in the Eastern Cape as well as Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. The arrest is the direct result of Operation Full Moon, which mainly focused on curbing rhino poaching incidents in the province,” said Soci.

Acting Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Major General Zamuthango Mki thanked all the members and officials deployed at the operation. “Operation Full Moon is aimed at curbing rhino poaching activities in a structured and co-ordinated manner.

Buckland’s manager Ian Stewart described his excitement that the suspects have been remanded in custody. “I’m very happy that they didn’t get bail. Its my rhino that was poached on Friday. I got a call on Saturday morning at 7.30am that he was poached and was dead. “I don’t care how much he was worth but the issue is the life that has been lost. He has been on our property for about six or seven years.

“He was part of the family and he was an absolute character.”