Tebogo Msimanga |
A 42-year-old Toyota Quantum driver is expected to appear before the Middleburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday 21 October 22 on allegations of being in possession of rhino horns valued at about R2 million.
On the early hours of Thursday morning 20 October 2022 at about 02:00, members of Middleburg K9 were conducting their normal patrol duties when they stopped a White Toyota Quantum with Mpumalanga registration plates on the N4 next to Middleburg toll plaza.
Mpumalanga Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said there were no passengers in the minibus. “After police introduced themselves to the driver, they requested to search the vehicle. A black plastic bag with two rhino horns was found concealed in the bonnet. The driver failed to explain the masked rhino horns in the plastic bag”.
Mohlala said the suspect was arrested and charged for possession of rhinoceros horns. “ Police can not rule out the possibility of adding another charge of contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act”.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng welcomed this arrest and said poachers are endangering and causing the extinction of the keystone species which has a detrimental effect on the animals’ ecosystem in the country.
