When I read stories and news about certain things, though it shouldn't, it sometimes has a sense of 'that's what you get' and in the case of this attempt to poach rhino horn in Johannesburg, something says it loud and clear! One man shot dead, one wounded, and another six were arrested when police stopped two rhino poaching attempts in Limpopo on Sunday.
The incidents occurred on Rietvley Farm in Polokwane and Welgevonden Farm outside Modimolle in the late afternoon. He is alleged to have refused surrender, and pointed an R5 automatic rifle at police, who naturally retaliated with gunfire. Another suspect was shot in the 'butt' and taken to hospital under police guard, the other three accomplices chose to surrender.
The second poaching attempt, in Welgevoden Farm, had two suspects - one who is reportedly an employee of the Limpopo provincial government! Before their chance arrived, the couple were cornered by police, and laid down their arms without any resistance. Begging to question how high up this poaching goes, if there are members of government involved!?
During both operations, police managed to recover a police-issued R5 automatic rifle with 34 live rounds, a silencer, a Toyota van, two axes, and a .307 rifle with a silencer. This is state of the art military equipment, which must have been provided, or at least funded for the team, whom (excluding the Limpopo government employee), were all Mozambican and Zimbabwean nationals residing in Tembisa and Soshanguve townships in Gauteng. All suspects are to appear in the Modimolle and Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
This is the second time this month attempts have been foiled by the local authorities, after five suspected rhino poachers were arrested in Malelane, Mpumalanga. Police, again acting on a tip-off about illegal rhino hunting at a private game reserve in Low's Creek, found two suspects trying to jump the fence and sneak into the premises. They were armed with a rifle and butcher knives.
"I hope this will be a lesson to other poachers that police are serious about their work and will not hesitate to protect themselves and arrest anyone including government officials who are fuelling this criminal act."
- Lieutenant General Amon Mashigo, Limpopo Provincial Commissioner
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