“With South Africa being home to the world’s largest rhino population, naturally all eyes will be on us at [the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora] CITES [17th Conference of the Parties] COP17 as we discuss the impact of the transnational illicit trade in wildlife on our rhino population,” Molewa said in a statement.

“South Africa is currently experiencing a decrease in the rate of rhino poaching, and at the same time an increase in the number of arrests for poaching-related offences. Slowly but surely our Integrated Strategic Management of Rhinoceros approach is yielding success: we are now getting much better at addressing wildlife crime in a more integrated and coordinated manner.”

The Integrated Strategic approach involves the environmental affairs department, the South African National Defence Force, the South African Police Service, the South African State Security Agency, the justice and correctional services department, South African National Parks, South African Revenue Service (SARS) and provincial conservation agencies.

Molewa congratulated the department’s Environmental Management Inspectorate (the Green Scorpions) stationed at O.R Tambo International Airport working with customs, the Airports Company South Africa security company and the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), for the arrest of a suspected rhino horn smuggler on September 24.

“The suspect was intercepted after attempting to take a transit flight to Hong Kong. Three rhino horns with a total mass of 9.4kg and an estimated value of R12.2 million were seized,” the department said.

“The horns were discovered after the suspect’s luggage was screened by border and customs officials. The 48-year-old suspect, a Chinese national, was expected to appear in court today [Monday].”

The department said that the Green Scorpions were stationed at a number of ports of entry and exit to increase capability to detect incidents of smuggling of wild specimens.

It also said that in the past week six suspected rhino poachers, four Mozambican nationals, and two South Africans were arrested. They were arrested in two separate incidents in the Kruger National Park.

Between January 1 and August 31 this year, a total of 414 alleged poachers were arrested in South Africa.

ANA