In a ground-breaking decision, and for the first time on record in the Eastern Cape and possibly in South Africa at large, a cycad poacher has been sentenced to ten years direct imprisonment by the Jansenville regional court.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust says in a statement that it commends the National Prosecuting Authority, Advocate Coetzee, and members of the SAPS for the arrests and subsequent convictions and sentences
The case involved four poachers, arrested in 2014 for attempting to smuggle twelve Karoo Cycad to Johannesburg.
The Jansenville regional court presiding Magistrate Rene Esterhuize, sentenced three of the poachers (Shadrack Matambo, Desmond Manodawafa and Alex Khoza) to five years direct imprisonment each.
The fourth poacher Sibusiso Khumalo was sent to ten years direct imprisonment for the same offences.
Khumalo was sentenced to a lengthier jail term due to his previous two convictions for cycad poaching.
The vehicle used in the commission of the offences was also seized and forfeited to the State.
