Parliament hears how ‘sophisticated syndicate’ stole 51 rhino horns from a state facility

Details of the ongoing investigation into the theft of 51 rhino horns worth R9-million from the Mahikeng head office of the North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB) were revealed during a parliamentary oversight meeting on Wednesday, 2 August.

Presentations were made by both the North West parks board and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), known as the Hawks, to the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries.

It was made clear that a sophisticated syndicate was behind the theft. The syndicate had intimate knowledge of the high-level security system in place, and it was clear that incompetence and corruption played an important role in the success of the operation.

The theft has rocked conservationists across the country. None of the horns has been recovered, and the investigation is ongoing. Board members have been told they are all possible suspects. So far, four arrests have been made, with a fifth suspect identified, but not yet arrested. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Suspect in court after Hawks make breakthrough on theft of 51 rhino horns from North West Parks Board

Thami Matshego, acting CEO of the North West parks board, said: “The crime scene area reveals that perpetrators were well informed of security measures on the premises since they directly targeted and de-activated all security early-warning systems on the building.”

Based on CCTV footage, the incident lasted for about one-and-a-half hours. The horns were in a tray to be profiled and fitted with transponders. About 10 of the horns had been fitted with transponders. Matshego said the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) was informed immediately.

“DFFE enforcement officials were notified on the same day of the theft of the rhino horn, and a DFFE official made contact with NWPTB to offer assistance if needed. The DFFE official immediately alerted colleagues at the border posts of the theft who activated the protocols at the border posts,” she said.

Matshego said that only highly sophisticated people who they knew and worked with could get through such a high-level security system at the stockpile facility.

She said the board was working closely with Hawks, SAPS and other security authorities to further the investigation, and that they had said more suspects would be arrested.

“We hope those people, especially those at the top of the chain of this criminal syndicate, are listed there. That is our main mission as the board,” she said.

The North West parks board vault is currently empty. All the horns have been moved and the parks board is working on improving its systems to ensure that stockpiles do not stay in one location for too long and are moved immediately, not stored.

Authorities outside the organisation are conducting a detailed security assessment because of the intimate knowledge the suspects seemingly had of the facility and its security systems.

Matshego said that when they, as members of the board, were interviewed, they were told: “All of us are suspects because it happened in our premises.”

The North West parks board is a state-owned entity within the provincial Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism. It manages 15 protected areas, covering a total surface area of about 200,000ha. It manages four populations of white rhino and two populations of black rhino within its estate of protected areas.

However, the board’s term lapsed three months ago with a new board expected to be announced at the end of September. 

In the recent past, the NWPB transferred all rhino stockpiles to national central vaults for safekeeping.

How did the theft take place?

Previous break-ins

Update on the investigation