Speech by the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mrs BEE Molewa on the donation of R250 million to SANParks by the Howard G Buffet Foundation
The Chairperson of SANParks Board, Mr Kuseni Dlamini,
Dr David Mabunda, the Chief Executive of SANParks,
Mr Howard G. Buffett of the Howard G Buffett Foundation,
Mr Ben Kruger, CEO of Standard Bank South Africa,
Representatives of the Embassy of the United States of America,
Members of the SANParks Board,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen
We would like to welcome you to our beautiful country that is preparing itself for general elections that will be held in May this year. These elections come as we also celebrate twenty years of democracy and freedom in our country.
Over the past twenty years we have seen dramatic and sustained process of formation of environmental guiding principles, institution building and restructuring, legislation and policy development, and domestic and international engagement.
The diversity of life we find in South Africa’s natural heritage is as rich and wondrous as our many languages, cultures and people. Our expansive landscapes, and the species that we find in them, share the same ancient historic roots as every South African.
We are the third most mega bio-diverse country in the world and managing such diverse people, culture, landscape, biological resources and economy requires a fine balance. We have pursued a sound principle of sustainable utilisation of our natural resources which has always guided our policy positions at home and in our international engagements.
Despite all the strides we have recorded to date, we are faced with the growing problem of illicit wildlife trade, the fourth largest syndicated criminal activity in the world after drug trafficking, human trafficking and arms smuggling.
Today we are gathered to say thank you for identifying rhino poaching as an areas that warranted your intervention. I am sure that I am also echoing President Zuma’s message in the State of the Nation Address when he said, I quote, “we thank the business community and all South Africans who participate in the campaign to save the rhino."
As the world opens its borders and travel between countries becomes easier cross-border crimes increase. It is a sad reality that increases in certain crimes, such as the illicit wildlife trade, can be partly attributed to modern development and growing economies.
In this world of illicit trade in wildlife the biggest resource, as with many other natural resources, happens to be found in Africa.
Having completely destroyed rhino populations throughout the world the criminals have in the last seven years set their sights on Africa, specifically South Africa.
Today no more than 4 000 rhino are found outside of Africa, while the continent is home to an estimated 25 000 of these ancient animals. South Africa is home to more than 80 percent of the world’s rhino population, a testament to our country’s successful conservation practices.
It is this successful restoration of the rhino population since the 1960s that makes South Africa the single-most important country in the fight for the survival of the rhino.
We would like to assure you Mr Howard Buffet that we are determined not to lose this fight. We as South Africa certainly do not intend to capitulate and lose the battle for the survival of key members of the iconic Big Five.
Research by several non-governmental organisations has indicated that rhino horn has become arguably the most expensive commodity on earth today.
As the demand for rhino horn grows, syndicates increase their efforts to lure members of poverty-stricken communities into the poaching net, recruiting particularly the vulnerable to secure horns. Many of these poachers are killed by rangers and anti-poaching operatives in the Kruger National Parks, while many more are arrested.
The most unfortunate aspect is that poor and hungry people are being used to drive this evil crime.
Without government, private sector and civilsociety efforts to manage the rhino poaching problem, it is obvious that the country would be facing a much more terrible situation.
The loss of 1 004 rhino in 2013 and 172 so far this year is devastating. But, we believe that this could have doubled, or even have tripled, without the contributions made by government and the donations of millions of Rands by private individuals, Foundations, businesses and organisations to conservation bodies to fight rhino poaching. The bulk of the donations have been made to the Kruger National Park which continues to be the hardest hit by poaching.
Despite an increase in numbers of rhinos killed, it is encouraging to report that the strategies being employed on the ground are starting to bear fruit.
Anti-poaching efforts have been boosted with the deployment of the South African National Defence Force whose members patrol the eastern border with Mozambique. Government efforts have also seen the birth of the Lowveld Lebombo Environmental Asset Protection Alliance (LLEAPA) -- a joint operating committee consisting of SANParks, SANDF, the SAPS, Mozambique and South Africa.
The South African government has highlighted the need to form partnerships with the private sector in the drive to ensure an end to poaching and the survival of the rhino species.
There is no more deserving cause for a public-private partnership than this one. It is estimated that the illicit wildlife trade is worth more than 19 billion US Dollars a year.
As a result of this illicit trade in wildlife products, an astronomical amount of money not only lands in the hands of criminals, but also finds its way to rebel groups involved in conflicts across the continent.
Ladies and gentlemen, a multi-billion Rand criminal problem requires a multi-billion Rand solution.
That financial support is most needed in the Kruger National Park which is threatened mostly by poachers from Mozambique. This threat leaves the Park vulnerable as it does its best to counter poaching with a Ranger Corps that has been converted to an anti-poaching force in recent months.
Individuals who had joined SANParks because of their interest in conservation now find themselves having to spend a disproportionate amount of their working life fighting crime.
Our rangers deserve a breather and the sooner we break the back of these syndicates the sooner they can go back to being rangers.
The destination for rhino horn is commonly known to be some far Eastern countries.
The good news is that progress being made with the implementation of the Action Plan on Cooperation in Biodiversity Conservation and Protection that was signed between South Africa and Vietnam in May 2013, only five months after the successful conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding with Vietnam in December 2012.
A High level Vietnam Government delegation will be undertaking a study tour of South Africa later in March to learn more about the plight of the rhino and what is being done to protect the species from extinction, as well as a workshop with, among others, the Department of Environmental Affairs, SANParks and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to chart the way forward in ensuring the effective implementation of the Action Plan and alignment of legislation and initiatives by the two countries to combat the scourge of crimes such as rhino poaching while conserving and protecting biodiversity.
As the South African government, we have initiated a number of international co-operation agreements with countries such as Mozambique, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. The signing of Memorandum of Understanding with Mozambique has been delayed, but the hope remains that these will be concluded soon.
Work to finalise an Implementation Plan putting into action the terms of the MOU signed between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China in 2013 in the fields of Wetlands, Desert Eco-Systems and Wildlife Conservation is also progressing well.
Ladies and gentlemen the Government of South Africa is happy to acknowledge this partnership with the Howard G Buffet Foundation. The funding received will contribute immensely to addressing the scourge of rhino poaching in South Africa.
We hope that your donation will spur more philanthropists to get involved in such a worthy cause. The rhino of South Africa are important to the whole world.
Thank you
