Counter Poaching Efforts

[RobertT]

See he sent through a few messages, wonder how he got signal in the bush.

[iNdlovu]

He probably had a great signal from 1500 feet, that altitude is also out of range of most small arms fire

[Penga Ndlovu]

There are rumours going round that all of this was a "fundraiser".
Trying to raise sympathy.
Waiting for the outcome of enquieries.

[iNdlovu]

The whole thing is a waste of time in my opinion. What makes it so news worthy that we are giving it air time. The Dr is an employee of SP, nothing more, nothing less. As employees they can expect to run into poachers from time to time.
This whole story and thread makes him seem like somebody special and therefore worthy of making a big deal out of it. This is something that happens daily to other staff members in SP, why don't we discuss those instances.

[RobertT]

Believe the Dr has had a lot of negative pr lately and also a call for his head. This could just be a pr job to try boost his image.

As I said, he was sending messages to other peeps when he was supposedly deep in bush chasing poachers. Signal as far as I am aware is not available a few km's out of a camp and he would have been further than that.

Odd also that he is only now checking flood damage, would of thought it was an immediate priority to asses damage.

[Toko]

CEO of SANParks helps track suspected poachers

He has new admiration for the work of his colleagues

14 February 2013 | Nicolene Smalman


SKUKUZA - The CEO of SANParks, Dr David Mabunda, is not afraid to get his hands dirty and joined rangers in tracking suspected rhino poachers on Monday.

Lowvelder enquired about the incident after reading the following post on Facebook: “In a dramatic turn of events, typical of the current war on rhino poaching, the CEO of SANParks while on a helicopter flight to observe flood damage had to divert to chase suspected poachers currently running towards the Mozambican border.”

Mabunda confirmed that the incident took place on Monday. He had been flying in SANParks’ helicopter to observe the damage caused by recent heavy floods.

Rangers on the ground in the Shingwedzi region spotted four suspected poachers and requested aerial assistance. The helicopter hurried to the scene and Mabunda was dropped off. He joined Shingwedzi section ranger Mr Marius Rencke, as well as field rangers Corporal Norman Khoza and Messrs Elias Khoza and Mitchell Seani in their pursuit of the suspects.

They tracked the terrain on foot for hours, looking for clues, while the helicopter encircled the area. It was about five kilometres from the Mozambican border and after establishing that the poachers had crossed the border into the neighbouring country, Mabunda continued with his inspection of the damaged infrastructure.

“It was a good feeling to be with my colleagues on the ground and doing real resource protection work. It was better than sitting in the office or talking shop in meetings that last the whole day,” he said.

“I am pleased to have been part of the team. I learnt a lot from the Khoza brothers and Rencke. We have excellent trackers operating under very difficult circumstances.
“In that 10 to 15 kilometre tracking journey, we had two bottles of water to share among ourselves and nothing more. These are our heroes. Critics who say we are doing nothing to stop rhino poaching, are oblivious of the sacrifices we make by putting our lives in danger every day in difficult terrain. You never know when and where the heavily armed poachers would strike on that long 350- kilometre border line. It is almost the distance of Nelspruit to Johannesburg.”

Mabunda added that the Mozambican incursions are the main force behind high incidents of poaching in the KNP and not South African communities on the western boundary as are commonly believed.

“Mozambicans mainly from Gaza and Maputo provinces are pouring across the border and at any given moment, we have up to 20 poaching groups in different parts of the park.

“We are constantly in discussion at an official and park level, but these talks seem to have very little, if any impact on poaching activities,” he concluded.

[iNdlovu]

CEO of SANParks helps track suspected poachers

“In that 10 to 15 kilometre tracking journey, we had two bottles of water to share among ourselves and nothing more. These are our heroes. Critics who say we are doing nothing to stop rhino poaching, are oblivious of the sacrifices we make by putting our lives in danger every day in difficult terrain. You never know when and where the heavily armed poachers would strike on that long 350- kilometre border line. It is almost the distance of Nelspruit to Johannesburg.”

No Dr, we have never said that rangers are doing nothing to stop rhino poaching, we are saying that management are not doing enough. As you said, you sit in your office in meetings all day now suddenly it's "we".
Start tightening up on security at gates and staff villages and then we can say that management is doing something to assist the heroes.

[Sprocky]

“We are constantly in discussion at an official and park level, but these talks seem to have very little, if any impact on poaching activities.”

Glad you fianally admit it Dr. Now please inform us on what steps you are going to take for your "talks" to start having an impact.

[RobertT]

He had a very busy day, from what I saw on another site while doing all this he was answering mail from his phone. He is good. Need to ask, why they only had 2 bottles of water? There were 4 rangers before the Dr, cannot believe they would go out without each having at least a bottle of water. This equipment was previously bought by HR and a big thing was made of the handing over. Why are they still underequipped?
Another thing, It would be very irresponsible to put your head of your business in the front line if there was any possibility of armed contact. They obviously follow different rules of engagement to the norm or perhaps they knew it would be safe?
From an airconditioned office job, to a 10-15km tracking in bush in midday heat.

My personal opinion is this is all just publicity, have my doubts as to whether it happened this way.

[Flutterby]

I have to agree Rob...all for publicity. As others have said, the rangers who do this dangerous work everyday don't get a big pat on the back...why should Mabunda?