Suspected poaching kingpin gets hunting permit


The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs on Wednesday said suspected rhino poaching kingpin Dawie Groenewald cannot be prevented from obtaining hunting permits until he is convicted.

According to reports, he is planning to buy nine more rhinos on Thursday, despite concerns that the animals will be killed for their horns.

“He has the right to apply for a permit,” said the department’s Magdel Boshoff. “For the time that he complies with the requirements to get that permit, we do not really have a sufficient reason to refuse [it]...”



Rhino hunting scandal


He is accused of being the kingpin in a rhino-poaching syndicate, but hunting firm owner Dawie Groenewald has continued transporting, buying and hunting rhinos since his arrest – despite facing hundreds of charges.

And it’s the Limpopo Department of Environment that has issued, since the beginning of the year, a dozen permits that allow him to hunt white rhino.

This morning, he was expected to add nine white rhino to his collection – for R2 million.

Wildlife activists are outraged, and are trying to raise R2m to keep them. But Groenewald says he “doesn’t understand what the big issue is”.

Instead, the man who is thought to be the ringleader of 11 suspects arrested in September last year for rhino poaching, says he loves his rhinos.

Since his arrest, Groenewald had been issued with permits to hunt 12 white rhino, two serval, one leopard, three civet cats and one wildcat. He also received permits to transport 17 white rhino.

The permits came to light when the DA Limpopo leader, Desiree van der Walt, posed questions to the province’s environment MEC, Pitsi Moloto. Moloto confirmed that Groenewald was prohibited by the magistrate from engaging in any activity related to the rhinos on his farm.

“However, after the period that was set by the magistrate expired, he was allowed to conduct his business as usual,” Moloto said.

For Groenewald, “business as usual” is Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris.

An official in the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism said they could not refuse Groenewald permits as he had not been found guilty.

“He’s innocent until proven guilty by the courts of law,” said the official, who did not want to be named.

“Just because I saw him arrested on TV doesn’t mean I can refuse him a permit. I don’t even have a piece of paper from my superiors saying that I shouldn’t give him a permit.”

Rynette Coetzee, project executant for the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s law and policy programme, raised the permit issue with the national department.

“Legislation doesn’t work on ethics – it works on facts,” she said.

But departments can refuse to issue permits if they have a legitimate reason, explained Coetzee, who previously worked for Gauteng Nature Conservation.

“Officials have a mandate to protect biodiversity according to the Constitution and the National Environment Management Act,” she said.

“According to that mandate, you have the right to refuse permits if you have reason – such as the applicant being investigated for illegal hunting.”

Groenewald also has a contract to buy nine white rhino, and he was expected to fetch them today.

The animals have been in a “place of safety” for three months after three of their herd – including a calf – were killed by poachers. Another four were stolen.

Activists were desperately trying to raise the R2m to keep them, but Groenewald said: “I don’t know what the big issue is.

“This is not the first rhino I’m buying. I love my rhino.”

He said the six cows would be relocated to the North West farm of prominent owner John Hume for breeding. The three bulls will head to Groenewald’s own farm, Prachtig.

Groenewald lambasted the wildlife activists and questioned their motives. “They’ve had the rhino for three months. If they really cared, why are they only trying to raise money now?”

But Private Rhino Owners Association head Pelham Jones said it was “deeply repugnant” that a person under investigation could continue to trade freely.

“We cannot simply stand back and allow for illegal or legal hunting of rhino, under the guise of trophy hunting,” he said.

“It is nothing short of the brutal slaughter of these iconic animals, and it undermines rhino conservation efforts and the reputation of the country.”

The 11 suspected poachers arrested last year face hundreds of charges, including fraud, corruption, assault, defeating the ends of justice and contravening the Organised Crime Act. Groenewald was released on R1m bail that was reduced to R100 000.

The accused had to hand in IDs and passports, and were told not to interfere with or trade in the rhinos on Groenewald’s farm.

Creep!

I thought that another ex cop was the real brains behind the whole deal.....How come we hear so little about this guy?

Naki,

Dawie is an ex-cop, however whether he is the 'real brains' behind the rhino poaching cartel is subject to debate.

Self-Proclaimed Rhino Conservationist Admits to Selling Rhino to Alleged Poaching Syndicate Mastermind

A Naboomspruit woman admits to selling a rhino to the notorious Dawie Groenewald, suspected leader of an organized crime syndicate accused of poaching dozens of rhinos in South Africa.

Selomie Maritz gained national and international attention in 2010 when she made a strong appeal for help to save a de-horned, critically endangered black rhino cow, named ‘Phila’, that had survived two vicious attacks from poachers. The Naboomspruit woman has been one of the loudest voices in the rhino front. However, it seems there is something many of us did not know—until now. Maritz has openly admitted to recently selling a male rhino to the internationally-despised Dawie Groenewald, who—along with twelve others—is standing trial for charges related to a commercialized rhino-poaching operation based in South Africa’s Limpopo province.

The matter was first brought to our attention over the past week, but we wanted to give Maritz a chance to confirm or deny the claims. Through online correspondence, she told a Bush Warriors team member that, indeed, she had sold a rhino to Groenewald. We later received further confirmation of the claim from inside sources, in which Maritz outlines her reasoning for making the controversial transaction at some point this year.

The Ubumanzi Lodge owner told inside sources that she sold the rhino to Groenewald as part of a plan to get herself and a film crew onto the suspected criminal’s property, for the purposes of obtaining footage of him working with alleged accomplice, Dr. Karel Toet. Maritz says a documentary that contains this footage is expected to be released sometime before Groenewald’s long-awaited return to the Musina Magistrate Courthouse in September.

Conservationists on the frontline to save these imperiled animals are shocked, disappointed, and appalled to learn about the incident. One might say that her actions have made a mockery of the ongoing, intense efforts made to protect South Africa’s rhinos and deals yet another devastating blow to the conservation community. Additionally, it seems extremely questionable as to whether potentially sacrificing the life of one of these pachyderms is ever worth any footage or inside information that could possibly be obtained from such a move.

Given the current status of Groenewald’s court case, which the prosecution continues to investigate, one might conclude that he would avoid any incriminating behaviors if being filmed and/or watched by members of the public. It seems that this would, in effect, provide nothing to gain for anyone except the people directly benefiting from this “business transaction”—Maritz and Groenewald.

The Ward-Groenewald-Maritz Rhino Connection

According to reports, game farmer, Dr. Walter Ward—who claims he is a passionate protector of his wildlife—made an agreement to sell nine rhinos to Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris owner, Dawie Groenewald, despite purportedly being aware of the criminal allegations laid against him. It was recently exposed that, in spite of his pending court case, Groenewald continues to be issued permits to hunt, import, and “convey” rhinos. Thus, if the proper permits had been obtained, Ward and Groenewald’s exchange would have been legal.

At least two of the doctor’s rhinos fell victim to violent poachers only months ago. Sources claim Ward has been paying Maritz to keep his nine remaining rhinos on her property—which she has referred to as a rhino sanctuary—since the tragic incident that claimed the lives of a cow and her calf.

The deal with Groenewald seems to have dissolved, while the very idea of it was hit by a clout of heated responses from the public. Instead, reports indicate Ward chose to sell his rhinos to Mauricedale Game Ranch owner, John Hume, who—according to Maritz—claims he will not allow the animals to be hunted nor exported.

However, Hume has come under much scrutiny from a wide range of conservationists, as he publicly advocates legalizing the rhino horn trade, while also owning one of South Africa’s largest private collections of rhinos. The man also works closely with professional hunter, Peter Thormahlen, who has been charged with rhino-related crimes, not just once, but twice. The hunter was found guilty of and fined for these charges in 2006, but escaped conviction when his second case was dismissed by the court in 2008.

Additionally, it seems Hume and Groenewald may have conducted business with each other in the past, when the two possibly exchanged rhinos in years prior to the suspect’s September 2010 arrest.

South Africa’s Rhinos in Crisis

Since the start of the year, at least 218 rhinos have been massacred by poachers in South Africa alone. The nation lost a minimum of 333 of these animals in 2010. At least 123 arrests have been made so far this year, which have resulted in only six successful convictions. This reflects a conviction rate of only 4.9%—just slightly better than 2010’s deplorable 2.4%, which stemmed from a mere four convictions out of a reported 165 arrests.

The slaughter is largely being conducted by well-connected, organized crime syndicates who use high-tech equipment, veterinary drugs, and helicopters to kill the animals for their horns. Additionally, these crime rings are known to exploit poverty-stricken communities to carry out their dirty work on private game farms and in national parks.

Demand for rhino horn stems almost exclusively from East and Southeast Asia, particularly from China and Vietnam. There, it is used to make traditional medicines, which are superstitiously used to treat a variety of ailments from fevers to boils, impaired liver function, and even devil possession. Contrary to a common misconception, one of the few things rhino horn is not used for is libido. Recently, traditional medicine practitioners have even falsely claimed that rhino horn is capable of curing cancer. Scientific studies have effectively shown rhino horn to be wholly void of any curative, medicinal properties.

The trophy hunting industry has increasingly been identified as a major contributor to this ongoing crisis. Foreign hunters—mainly from Vietnam and most recently from Thailand—have repeatedly been implicated in the abuse of rhino hunting opportunities in attempts to obtain the horns from the trophies to supply the black market. Additionally, unscrupulous insiders from the game farming and trophy hunting communities have also been exposed on numerous accounts for their role in the illicit trade, as has been the case with the ‘Groenewald Gang’, for just one example.


Why are so many members of South Africa’s conservation community turning their backs on these animals? How can conservationists make headway in this war on rhinos, when it’s becoming increasingly unclear who is actually on their side? Is it appropriate to question how someone who seemed to have fought so hard for one rhino‘s rights could so quickly forgo those of another? How do you feel about the potential sacrifice of one rhino’s life, for the reasons that Maritz uses to justify her actions? Were the animal’s best interests truly kept in mind? Tell us what you think.

How Can You Help?

1) Tell CITES to put South Africa’s white rhinos on the no-trade list, like all other rhino species. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is inviting you to recommend species that should be considered as candidates for U.S. proposals to amend Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES or the Convention) at the upcoming sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP16).

Currently, white rhinos in South Africa and Swaziland are the only rhino species that any trade in is permitted by CITES, as they are listed under Appendix II. This means these animals can be traded “for the exclusive purpose of allowing international trade in live animals to appropriate and acceptable destinations and hunting trophies”. As the rhino trophy hunting industry seems to grow more and more corrupt, and with China now clearly moving toward farming rhinos to supply the illegal market for rhino horns, this is exactly what should be targeted. If you choose to submit, clearly identify that you wish to recommend that white rhinos be transferred to Appendix I. Your reasoning can include anything impacted by the currently permitted trade in these animals, including the sale and farming of live animals and trophy hunting.

The USFWS will consider all information and comments received on or before August 15, 2011. Send correspondence pertaining to species proposals to:

Division of Scientific Authority
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive
Room 110
Arlington, VA 22203
Or email them to: CoP16species@fws.gov

NOTE: Submissions should be solely supported with science-based facts and refrain from any emotional input. They should also be individualized, avoiding form letters. Bush Warriors will be writing and publishing our recommendations soon, so keep an eye out. You can reference our submission as an example for how to frame your own.

And his Attorney is.......