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The Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment has heard that four suspects have been arrested following the theft of 51 rhino horns from a stockpile facility in Mahikeng in the North West Province in June 2023.
 
The committee received a briefing from the North West Parks and Tourism Board, the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (HAWKS) on the progress made in the investigation into the theft of the horns, which have an estimated value of R9 million.
 
Updating the committee on the status of the investigation, North West Hawks Major-General Patrick Mboto said the incident was reported by a security officer who was patrolling at North West Parks Board’s Cook Lake premises on 26 June 2023 at around 5 pm. The security officer noticed that an aluminium door had been forced open and alarm and camera systems were damaged. SAPS were contacted and informed of the break-in, he said.
 
Major-General Mboto said upon investigation of the crime scene, it was discovered that a small safe that had keys to the walk-in safe had been stolen and the keys were used to open the safe where the horns were stored. He told the committee that an investigation team was established, which gathered evidence and identified suspects. The rhino horns have not been recovered, he indicated.
 
The four suspects face charges that include house breaking and theft; illegal dealing in rhino horns and conspiracy; possession of stolen property; illegal possession of fire-arms; and money laundering, corruption and racketeering. New charges may be added as the investigation unfolds, Major-General Mboto said.
 
He indicated that the case has been postponed to 14 August 2023 for further investigation and two of the suspects were released on bail of R2 000 and R5 000. The other accused are still in custody.
 
Also briefing the committee, the acting CEO, Ms Thami Matshego, of the North West Parks and Tourism Board, a state-owned entity in the provincial Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism said the entity manages 15 protected areas, covering approximately 200 hectares. It also manages populations of four white rhinos and two black rhinos within its protected area.
 
Ms Matshego told the committee that because of the natural dynamics in these rhino populations, such as natural mortalities, infighting, horn breakages and dehorning, loose or broken horns are collected or picked up by rangers on patrol in the veld. She indicated that the registration and storage of these horns are managed according to the national norms and standards for the marking of rhinos and rhino horns of 2018.
 
“Because of the demand and economic value of the rhino, the horns are registered and stored in a specially constructed vault at the North West Parks and Tourism board headquarters,” she said.
 
The committee was informed that two previous break-ins at the premises were attempted in 2014 and 2018 to access the rhino horn stockpile. “In 2018, the outside walls of the vault were strengthened and the premises of the North West Parks and Tourism Board Head Office are patrolled by armed security guards,” she said.
 
She added: “The criminals in this rhino pouching industry always try to be step ahead of us each time we step up our security measures.”
 
The committee was very concerned about this incident and the fact that the North West Parks and Tourism Board currently does not have a Board nor a permanent CEO.
 
The North West MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, MEC Khothatso Tlhapi told the committee that they have not yet appointed the Board. It lapsed three months ago and they are now in the process of appointing a new one. The Acting CEO is accounting on behalf of the Board at the moment and the Board is expected to be appointed next month, MEC Tlhapi indicated.
 
The committee resolved at the beginning of the meeting that, as per the standard practice, the presentations should not divulge sensitive security matters in the interest of safety. The committee will at a later stage, schedule a meeting and an oversight visit in Mahikeng, “… to get a better sense and understanding of how the incident occurred and more details as to how the Board of the North West Parks and Tourism Board expired three months ago, but there is still no Board and no permanent CEO – who is taking accountability?. We have to play our robust oversight role as this committee,” the Chairperson of the committee, Mr Ntibi Modise, said.
 
Mr Modise concluded: “This is not the first and the last time we are engaging on this matter. We will also convene a physical meeting together with the Minister of the national department and MECs to discuss the issues of security in more detail and not only react when there is an incident, to avoid incidents of this nature occurring in another province.”

Issued by the Parliamentary Services on behalf of the Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Ntibi Modise