Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, has announced the names of the members of the Committee of Inquiry that has been tasked with investigating the feasibility of a trade in rhino horn.
Department spokesperson, Albi Modise, says the Committee will embark on its work ahead on the 17th Conference of Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
The CITES conference will be hosted by South Africa next year.
Modise says in the months to come the Committee will meet with various stakeholders involved in conservation, but who also have an interest in terms of rhino protection, to come up with a position that South Africa will take to COP 17.
The 21 member committee is chaired by Ms. Nana Magomola, and will report to the Inter-Ministerial Committee before the end of 2015.
The committee comprises a cross-section of stakeholders from both the public and private sector: leaders in their field who have been selected based on extensive expertise. This includes representatives from law-enforcement agencies, SANPARKS, the scientific community, the immigration service, the revenue service, the conservation industry, private wildlife owners, community organizations as well as non-governmental organizations (NGO's) and traditional leadership.
1. Mr. Lourence Mogakane, Chairperson: National Committee of People & Parks Programme
2. Hosi Ntsanwisi, representative of the National House of Traditional Leaders
3. Ms. Yolan Friedmann, Chief Executive Officer: Endangered Wildlife Trust
4. Dr. Jo Shaw, Rhino Coordinator (WWF South Africa)
5. Mr. P Gastrow, The Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime
6. Dr. M Knight, Rhino Management Group
7. Mr. Pelham Jones, Private Rhino Owners Association
8. Mr. K Lockwood, Economist
9. Mr. M't Sas-Rolfes, Environmental Resource Economist
10. Prof. J Donaldson, Chair of Scientific Authority
11. Lt-Gen. Elias Mawela, South African Police Services (SAPS)
12. Adv. J de Lange, Legal advisor
13. Adv. Pieter du Rand, Department of Justice and Correctional Services
14. Dr. Lyle Pienaar, State Security Agency (SSA)
15. Ms. Nthabiseng Malefane, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)
16. Ms. Mandisa Motha-Ngumla, South African Revenue Services (SARS)
17. Dr. Sam Ferreira, South African National Parks (SANPARKS)
18. Dr. David Mabunda, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
19. Mr. Johan Eksteen, Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency
20. Mr. Riaan de Jager, Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism
21. Dr. Wendy Annecke , South African National Parks (SANPARKS)
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE COMMITTEE
- To investigate, evaluate, report on and make recommendations relating to a diverse set of key areas including, but not limited to:
I. An analysis of the current rhino situation and interventions to address illegal killing of rhino and illegal trade in rhino horn, with a focus on government initiatives;
II. Identification of new or additional interventions required to create an enabling environment for the sustainable utilization of natural resources and to strengthen the integrated approach of the government in addressing illegal killing and illegal trade, including the following:
- Increased involvement of communities, including community ownership of wildlife and benefit-sharing by communities;
- Establishment of Intensive Protection Zones, conservancies / strongholds and other mechanisms to ensure viable populations are established in low risk areas;
- Enhancing actionable intelligence to enable South Africa to disrupt transnational criminal networks involved in the illegal trade in rhino horn;
- The continued use of DNA as an important tool in terms of enforcement;
- Incentivising the trade and possession of rhino as a live commodity by developing an enhanced understanding of current forms of investment, drivers and incentives;
- Strategic, targeted, culturally sensitive demand management initiatives.
- If trade was to be an option, the potential models / mechanisms for trade and criteria / conditions (issues to be considered include: models - strictly controlled trade, i.e. once-off sale of stockpiles, government to government trade or more open regulated trade; sources of specimens and specimens to be traded; the benefits and risks associated with the different options; possible trade partners and the criteria to be met by these States; conditions; and the financial mechanisms);
- The response / change in the market; implications; and the mechanisms to respond to that change (demand and supply issues and the anticipated changes if trade is introduced, interventions enhanced or new interventions implemented and the measures / interventions to manage or respond to these changes);
- The socio-economic impact and potential benefits to communities, farmers, conservation authorities and rhino and elephant conservation, including the economic opportunities for communities from wildlife management, and the risks posed by wildlife trafficking (e.g. infiltration of criminal elements in communities);
- the potential impact of various interventions and management scenarios on the conservation of the species, including range expansion;
- the implications and risks for enforcement and security matters and mechanisms to mitigate (dynamics of wildlife crime and the key issues to be considered in terms of addressing current enforcement challenges and anticipated enforcement challenges);
- implications for other range States, including precautionary measures; as well as implications for consumer States;
- the criticisms or concerns relating to trade and the means to address these criticisms and concerns;
- engagement strategies for the various role-players involved, with a special focus on communities; and
- key messages and information to be communicated.
Despite South Africa's efforts and a rise in the number of arrests and prosecutions for rhino poaching related crimes - poaching is on the rise.
Minister Edna Molewa notes that given the highly organized nature of the syndicates involved, the poaching figures could be considerably higher were it not for South Africa's interventions.
Among the measures being implemented are:
- strategic translocation of rhino
- increased collaboration between law-enforcement agencies
- disruption of criminal syndicates
- tightening ports of entry and exit to combat smuggling of illicitly sourced wildlife parts, including rhino horn
- collaboration with range, transit and end-user states
- providing economic alternatives for communities vulnerable to recruitment by poachers
The Committee of Inquiry will consider information submitted by stakeholders and invite organisations or individuals to present information to it for consideration.
A schedule of engagements/workshops being convened by the committee will be made available in due course.
- Interested stakeholders and organisations can register their interest to participate with Mr Mpho Tjiane through e-mail: mtjiane@environment.gov.za
