SANParks employee arrested for illegal hunting
An employee of South African National Parks (SANParks) based in the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site near Musina, Limpopo, has been arrested by the Environmental Crime Investigators on Monday, 27 January.
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According to SANParks acting head of communications, Reynold Thakhuli, the suspect's name cannot be made public before appearing in court. "He has been implicated on a number of illegal commercial hunting activities on state land involving a number of hunting professionals and game meat operators.
According to Thakhuli, the suspect has been using SANParks official stationery to interest his customers and this made these illegal transactions appear to be an activity sanctioned by SANParks.
Organised groups
He said the illegal hunts happened on the farm Den Staat which is a state-owned property and has an open system with Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site as no fence exists between the two properties. "It was revealed during the investigations that led to arrest of the suspect, that this illegal hunting activity by organised groups has been so severe in that as many as 16 hunting groups would visit the area on certain days even beyond the official hunting season."
Thakhuli said about ten suspected illegal hunters have been identified in various provinces including Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. "They have been positively linked to this illegal activity within a protected conservation area and colluding with the suspect. These suspects include professional hunters and game meat operators and all will be appearing in court next month."
He said some of the hunted animals included a leopard which is classified as a schedule three protected wild animal under the Limpopo Environment Act (Act 7 of 2003).
