Sick.



7 impala die in Kruger horror
06/04/2005 23:40 - (SA)



Elise Tempelhoff and Linda de Nysschen


Nelspruit - Seven impalas were trapped in a camp at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park and viciously beaten to death with pipes and sticks.

Four SANParks employees were arrested and are facing charges that include poaching.

Witnesses, including visitors, apparently saw the men lock the buck in a camp and beat them viciously.

The impalas had been grazing peacefully on the grass outside the laundry. The men, apparently, were Kruger Park staff members.

After the attack, it is claimed, the men cut up the buck.

William Mabasa, head of liaison and communication at the Kruger Park, said on Wednesday the incident had taken place on Sunday, February 27, at Skukuza, outside the laundry room, which was between the administration block and the camp itself.

Mabasa said that immediately after the attack the four employees were arrested by park security guards and handed over to police.

'Extremely emotional incident'

They also were suspended and an internal investigation into the incident was underway.

Mabasa said: "It is an extremely emotional incident for us."

On March 28, Daniel Mbombi, Eckson Makwakwa, Daniel Nkuna and James Myambo appeared in White River magistrate's court.

They face charges of hunting in the Kruger Park and illegal possession of game meat.

Inspector Petro Rossouw of Skukuza police said the men were released on R500 bail each. They were expected to appear in Skukuza circuit court on May 4.

Shortly after the incident, Mabasa issued a memorandum warning park personnel that the theft of game was a serious offence.

According to the memorandum, a copy of which is in Beeld's possession, Mabasa said it had come to the attention of the (park's) management that "certain personnel" were involved in illegal actions, such as the poaching of game for food, from time to time.

He said that not only would guilty parties face disciplinary action, but they also would face criminal charges.

20 to 30 poaching cases

"It is our responsibility as staff of SANParks to look after the community's assets and we cannot be seen to be involved in activities such as poaching."

Raymond Travers, spokesperson for the Kruger Park, said the incident was the first of its kind involving staff.

Incidents of poaching by members of the communities bordering the park were not unusual.

In the two years that he had worked for the park, there had been between 20 and 30 cases of poaching.

If poachers, who usually worked in syndicates, were caught in the park, they were immediately arrested and handed to police.

The ears of a hippo?

Watch this space in future for relevations of serious fraud, corruption and large scale organized poaching with senior NPB staff members involved. This is Africa, you know!

Shooting the poachers would be much easier than arresting them over and over..