Activist speaks out against horn stockpiles after arrest
The government’s stockpiles of rhino horn “provide a level of temptation” for criminal syndicates that should not exist, according to Outraged South African Citizens Against Rhino Poaching (Oscap).
Kim da Ribeira, of Oscap, was reacting to last week’s announcement by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (Hawks) Serious Organised Crime Investigation that it had arrested a North West Parks and Tourism Board security official in connection with alleged involvement in the theft of 51 rhino horns from a facility in Mahikeng in June last year.
The horns have an estimated value of R9 million and were stolen from the headquarters of the North West Parks and Tourism Board.
“It’s one of the reasons why we shouldn’t have stockpiles of horn,” said Da Ribeira. “It is vulnerable and is open to corruption because the officials know where the horns are stored and whether they’re catalogued properly. The government believes that the ivory and rhino horn we’ve got are assets. They are not. They’re liabilities and an enormous risk and provide a level of temptation that doesn’t need to be there.”
Edwin Thapelo Rangaka was arrested for his alleged involvement in the horn heist. He appeared briefly in the Mmabatho magistrate’s court on charges of business burglary and was granted bail. His accomplices, Elias Mangande and Lefa Mankgaba, were arrested in July.
Democratic Alliance MP Dave Bryant welcomed Rangaka’s arrest.
“The DA was the first to raise this matter publicly when the theft took place in June 2023 and successfully requested that the MEC, the North West Parks Board, SAPS and the Hawks appear before the committee of forestry, fisheries and the environment on two occasions,” he said.
“The DA’S efforts have been vindicated and we commend the Hawks for their hard work.”
Major general Patrick Mbotho, the North West provincial head of the Hawks, praised the “sterling investigative work by the members”.