Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) welcome the Minister of Environmental Affairs’ announcement that a new regional magistrate’s court has been established in Skukuza, in the Kruger National Park.

According to a statement issued by the Minister of Environmental Affairs on 24 April 2017, the opening of the new regional court is one of several measures being taken in terms of the Integrated Strategic Management approach to combat rhino poaching.

In a joint statement, the EWT and the CER described the new court as representing an important step in the fight against rhino poaching, and other biodiversity related crimes, as it will help to ensure the expedition of a larger number of prosecutions.

“A large number of rhino poaching incidents and rhino-related offences occur in the Kruger National Park. We welcome the move to establish a new court in Skukuza – not only because it places a court in close proximity, but also because a regional court has the jurisdiction to hear more serious matters originating from a larger geographical area than an ordinary magistrate’s court. We are optimistic that the establishment of this court will increase capacity, and hopefully speed up the criminal prosecution of all rhino related offences, including the poaching of other wildlife specimens.

“The effect of faster – and hopefully more efficient and, therefore, more successful – prosecutions, and the imposition of heavy sentences, should serve as a powerful deterrent to poachers,” the organisations said.

ENDS

For queries, please contact Annette Gibbs on [email protected] or 082 467 1295.