hondsny

Because neither the state - nor, I suspect, anyone else - will report accurately on this matter, let me do it. For the record, this is not a defence of the individuals currently in the dock. Rather, it is an attempt to introduce nuance and context into a conversation that has been hijacked by political agendas. This case has become more than a legal matter, it is now a smokescreen. A politically convenient distraction designed to shift public attention away from South Africa’s true rhino horn traffickers: ANC-aligned elites who, for years, have used diplomatic pouches and government protection to smuggle poached horn to China with near-total impunity. Let’s start by putting a few uncomfortable facts on the table: Rhino horn is now worth more per kilogram on the black market than cocaine or heroin. This staggering street value, driven largely by demand in Asia, has turned rhinos into high-value targets for international crime syndicates. The result? Organised poaching networks operating with military precision—and often with state protection. John Hume and his co-accused bred their own rhinos. They routinely dehorned them and did not poach from the wild. Whether one agrees with Hume’s methods or not, it is a matter of record that his operation was based on captive breeding and regulated horn harvesting, not illegal hunting. The distinction is critical, yet conveniently ignored by those driving this prosecution. For over a decade, Hume has publicly argued that legalising and regulating the rhino horn trade could collapse the black market. By flooding the market with ethically sourced horns, the idea is to reduce prices and eliminate the financial incentive for poaching. It’s a controversial position, no doubt, but one that deserves serious engagement, not political persecution. Especially not from elements within the state who are themselves profiting handsomely from the illegal trade. In a BBC investigation some years ago, a Mozambican poacher stated that in just five years of operating in South Africa - with the help of corrupt officials - he earned enough to buy multiple businesses, several cars, and a house. He now lives as a wealthy man in Mozambique. Meanwhile, rhino carcasses continue to rot in the bush, and so-called "conservation officials" continue to look the other way, if not, actively participate. In just the first half of 2025, 195 rhinos have already been killed by poachers in South Africa. These are not random killings. These are coordinated, brutal executions carried out by men who see no value in preserving this ancient and majestic species. To them, a living rhino is simply an inconvenient obstacle between them and a payday. The real tragedy here is that while the state makes headlines by prosecuting a handful of high-profile breeders, the industrial-scale looting of our wildlife continues unabated, enabled by corruption, shielded by diplomacy, and fuelled by profit. If we truly care about conservation, then we must be willing to confront the uncomfortable truth: that the biggest threats to South Africa’s rhinos are not just poachers with guns, but politicians with agendas. South Africa holds over 87% of the worlds Rhino population, we must be prepared to look at alternative ways of saving this iconic species from extinction. @NPA_Prosecutes @SAPoliceService @Abramjee