Pretoria - Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa has welcomed the arrest of 12 suspects, including three police officers, for alleged rhino poaching this week.
The suspects were arrested by a multi-disciplinary and intelligence operation led by the Hawks in Gauteng and the North West.
The arrest, Minister Molewa said, is indicative of government’s commitment to fight the ongoing scourge of rhino poaching in South Africa.
Earlier this month, President Jacob Zuma visited Kruger National Park, which is the epicentre of the poaching epidemic.
At the time, President Zuma opened the Mission Area Joint Operations Centre, the latest weapon to combat rhino poaching.
“Government acknowledges that environmental crime, poaching in particular, does more than threaten South Africa’s natural resources. It also results in financial burden and loss of economic and development opportunities in our country,” Minister Molewa said.
In 2014, rhino poaching was declared a national priority crime in South Africa and has resulted in a multidisciplinary, multi-sectoral approach focused on collaboration through our National Security Structure. – SAnews.gov.za
