WE ARE BEING ROBBED OUR HERITAGE BY CRIMINALS

WE ARE BEING ROBBED OUR HERITAGE BY CRIMINALS

BY BRIAN KAJENGO

Those were the words said by Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa during the World wildlife Day at Pretoriuskop in Kruger National Park.

Minister Edna Molewa handed over five rhinos to the Mdluli community of Number near Hazyview on Monday 3 March 2014.

“We are being robbed our heritage by criminals with no respect for our nation and our pride as people,

“We need to join hands and work together to fight these criminals. These solution need to be sought in partnership with stakeholders in the rhino and wildlife industries including communities, and with our partners within government especially the enforcement and Security authorities in the country,” said Minister Edna Molewa.

The minister says the donation of the rhino to the Mdluli community should serve as an incentive to encourage all communities to help in the fight against rhino poaching. The ownership of these animals will promote awareness and increase the wildlife ecotourism potential of the community’s land.

“By placing these five rhino in Mdluli community’s care enhances the government’s believe and police that the animals in national parks, Provincial and Private Game Reserves owned by all South Africa. This means that we need to ensure they are protected for future generation,” said Minister Molewa.

Moshakge Molokwane the SANParks Community Forum representative from Limpopo argued members of the community to take care of the wildlife and the biodiversity.

“It’s a great honour if our communities are getting ownership of their heritage. We all supposed to fight against rhino poaching. If we don’t accommodate the poachers, they would not get access to enter into the parks and poach our rhinos.” Moshakge Molokwane said.  

Kgosi Isaac Mdluli argued his community to be responsible for its heritage.

“I am scared about what would I tell my grand children in the near future if they would be no rhinos. We don’t want a situation whereby we will show our grand children photos of the animals instead of taking them to the parks to see live rhinos. People should know that these rangers take their lives at risk to serve the rhino, so they need our support,” said Kgosi Isaac Mdluli.

It’s known that the highly poachers entrance to Kruger National Park is at Numbi through the Mdluli community.

The minister pleads with the communities sounding the Kruger National Park to take responsibility of protecting the country’s heritage destroyed by heartless poachers who use sophisticated equipments when poaching.

“It’s South Africa’s policy on sustainable utilisation which has resulted in the significant growth of our rhino population from 20-50 animals by the end of the 19^th century to more than 18 000 animals today. Some have critiqued this policy,   but the result speaks for itself. South Africa is just protecting just over 93% of Africa’s wild whiter rhino and this conservation success directly linked and supported by South Africa’s sustainable utilisation police. ” Minister said.

The minister told the all parties that the solution has to be sought in collaboration with Stakeholders and experts in the rhino sector during 2014 will meet South Africa’s sustainable  management and adaptive management practices that will ensure the country can continue to maintain its proud conservation record and that communities contributing to the conservation of species benefit financially from the restoration and protection of species.