Residents of an Eastern Cape community stand to benefit financially from a deal which will see the provincial parks and tourism agency handing over 20 black rhinos to a private game reserve.
Premier Phumulo Masualle’s cabinet gave its stamp of approval to the private/public partnership at an executive council meeting in Port Elizabeth a week ago.
Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) CEO Vuyani Dayimani confirmed to the Daily Dispatch on Friday that the agency has obtained the approval “to contribute 20 black rhino to the World Wide Fund-SA Black Rhino Range Expansion project and to sell a further 10 animals”.
The black Rhino Range Expansion Programme is a project of World Wide Fund-SA. Its aim is to create a new black rhino population.
He said working in collaboration with this project, a suitable recipient site had been identified for these animals.
“This land is an amalgamation of state land, privately owned land and communal land.
“The rhinos placed here will remain the property of ECPTA and the offspring will be shared equally between ECPTA and the receiving association, which will take over the responsibility of managing these animals.
Dayimani said the association, which is comprised primarily of private landowners but also includes land that is communally owned, has agreed to give its share to the community.
A similar deal was struck between ECPTA, and the private sector in 2010, and the current deal is the third.South African National Parks, through the Addo Elephant Park, also transferred four rhinos to Chad under the same programme.Dayimani said the 10 animals on sale would be sold on auction and the revenue generated will be reinvested in conservation.Only screened prospective buyers who meet stringent security measures will be allowed to register to bid for the animals.The auction date will be published in the media, said Dayimani.Asked why the agency was reluctant to share details of the new and old homes of the rhinos, Dayimani said: “ECPTA finds themselves in untenable situations because of the evil poaching is causing.”The latest figures released by the department of environmental affairs in February revealed that 769 rhinos were killed in poaching incidents in South Africa in 2018.Of these, 19 were from Eastern Cape parks.Dayimani said the agency found itself in a catch-22 situation, because these are public assets, “so it’s important that there’s transparency about the destination so that the choice passes public scrutiny”.“It’s a big deal to know where they are going, especially if previously disadvantaged individuals are part owners of future offsprings.“About the old home, we need as much possible support and assistance as we can have, but how do people assist if they don’t know where the problem is?“How do we mobilise resources and general community vigilance and protection if nobody knows where they are from?“All these are caused by the intention to want protect the endangered fauna the country has for future generations to come,” said Dayimani...