SANDF to tackle rhino poachers
South Africa is deploying hundreds of soldiers along its border to combat poaching. Justice Minister Jeff Radebe announced that four companies of infantry, approximately 600 men, would be deployed to the borders with Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
"The deployment includes army engineers who are conducting repairs and maintenance on the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border fence, which is approximately 140 kilometres (85 miles)," explained Mr Radebe, who added that ”Effective border management is part of the government crime prevention strategy, which assists to deal with cross-border crime syndicates and curb poaching”.
Poaching rhino horn is a severe problem in South Africa, which has approximately three quarters of the world's complement. Of the approximately 20,000 animals, 450 were killed by poachers last year. Criminal syndicates eagerly feed the illegal trade because the black market price for rhino horn is £35,000 ($55,000) per kilo, which is roughly equivalent to the weight-for-weight price of pure gold. As the average horn weighs a little under two kilograms, the returns on poaching are high. However, many poachers have been killed or captured by South Africa's armed Park Rangers and now the military deployment will increase the risk even further.
The number of rhinos killed for their horns has rocketed in recent years due to increased demand from China and Vietnam, where powdered horn is a feature of traditional medicine. However, rhino horn has been proven to have no medicinal qualities. Rhino horn was also commonly used for handles of ornate daggers in the Middle East, but a fatwa declaring the practice unacceptable has led to a drop in the practice.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
