One of South Africa’s most wanted Rhino poachers has fired his last shot

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Source: Save the Beasts. Stop the Slaughter Facebook Page


ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST WANTED RHINO POACHERS HAS FIRED HIS LAST SHOT

November 14 2019

Simon Bloch

One of South Africa’s most notorious rhino poachers has been killed in a shootout with rangers, just months after he was arrested and released on bail.

Siphiwe Shezi, 38, a prolific rhino poacher from Siyenbeni near Mtubatuba, Zululand, was one of two men shot dead inside the country’s flagship iMfolozi Game Reserve on Tuesday, after they were confronted by rangers shortly after daybreak.

Responding to this reporter’s inquiry, SAPS Colonel Thembeka Mbele said:

“We can confirm two people were fatally shot at a game reserve. One of the deceased suspects has been identified as Siphiwe Shezi (38) while the other has not yet been identified.

"We can also confirm that Shezi was one of six suspects arrested in May this year in the Vryheid matter you inquired about" Colonel Mbele said.

“At about 6.30 am on Tuesday, field rangers spotted and engaged three people inside the game reserve who allegedly attempted to shoot at them.

“Gunshots were exchanged and a 38-year-old male identified as Shezi was fatally wounded. A rifle with eight rounds of ammunition was recovered” she said.

After backup rangers were deployed, a second as yet unidentified member of the group was shot and killed by a field ranger after he allegedly attacked a colleague with a knife.

The third suspect managed to evade arrest. It is unclear whether scent-trained dogs were used to track the suspect.

Strangely, the elusive Shezi and five accomplices were released from police custody in August this year while awaiting trial on a separate rhino horn related matter. This angered law enforcement officials who had worked tirelessly to nail him.

He was nabbed in an intelligence-driven operation in late May, when two vehicles the group was travelling in, were pulled over on the Melmoth-Vryheid road and searched. Four rhino horns were recovered.

Shezi and five others were charged in the Vryheid Magistrates Court on May 27 and held in custody for just two months before all six suspects were suddenly granted bail.

Questions around leniency in rhino poaching cases sent to the Department of Justice and the National Prosecution Authority remain unanswered, and a member at the court said they were under strict instructions not to discuss the case with the media.

Separately, a confidential source close to the matter criticized the criminal justice system, and said rangers and law enforcement officers felt betrayed.

“Shezi ranked as one of the country’s most wanted rhino poaching suspects and yet despite the overwhelming evidence against him, the courts still granted bail and released him.

“Being arrested for rhino poaching is like a perpetual debt trap for poachers. These criminals find themselves indebted to their syndicate bosses, and upon bail and release, they are forced to immediately go out and kill more rhino for horns.

“It’s literally becomes a vicious cycle for poachers who owe their bosses for bail amounts, attorney fees, transport costs, as well as the losses of confiscated vehicles and confiscated weapons. It’s unsustainable” he said.

Shezi was due back in court on December 5th to face trial on charges related to his arrest in May.

Asked repeatedly to verify reports that Shezi had been killed at iMfolozi on Tuesday, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo said:

“No comment”.

ENDS
 
I hope the new tracking dog teams have been deployed at Hluhluwe.

Sad the Rangers are feeling betrayed.
 
Sounds like a payoff to the court system to "suddenly" bail him out. Now some crime boss is going to have to find another pawn.
Great job by the rangers. This is where some of our hunting dollars go.
 
One less poacher is a good thing, but unfortunately I'm guessing there's plenty of supply to replace.
 
Thats the best sentence for those scumbags .
Source: Save the Beasts. Stop the Slaughter Facebook Page


ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST WANTED RHINO POACHERS HAS FIRED HIS LAST SHOT

November 14 2019

Simon Bloch

One of South Africa’s most notorious rhino poachers has been killed in a shootout with rangers, just months after he was arrested and released on bail.

Siphiwe Shezi, 38, a prolific rhino poacher from Siyenbeni near Mtubatuba, Zululand, was one of two men shot dead inside the country’s flagship iMfolozi Game Reserve on Tuesday, after they were confronted by rangers shortly after daybreak.

Responding to this reporter’s inquiry, SAPS Colonel Thembeka Mbele said:

“We can confirm two people were fatally shot at a game reserve. One of the deceased suspects has been identified as Siphiwe Shezi (38) while the other has not yet been identified.

"We can also confirm that Shezi was one of six suspects arrested in May this year in the Vryheid matter you inquired about" Colonel Mbele said.

“At about 6.30 am on Tuesday, field rangers spotted and engaged three people inside the game reserve who allegedly attempted to shoot at them.

“Gunshots were exchanged and a 38-year-old male identified as Shezi was fatally wounded. A rifle with eight rounds of ammunition was recovered” she said.

After backup rangers were deployed, a second as yet unidentified member of the group was shot and killed by a field ranger after he allegedly attacked a colleague with a knife.

The third suspect managed to evade arrest. It is unclear whether scent-trained dogs were used to track the suspect.

Strangely, the elusive Shezi and five accomplices were released from police custody in August this year while awaiting trial on a separate rhino horn related matter. This angered law enforcement officials who had worked tirelessly to nail him.

He was nabbed in an intelligence-driven operation in late May, when two vehicles the group was travelling in, were pulled over on the Melmoth-Vryheid road and searched. Four rhino horns were recovered.

Shezi and five others were charged in the Vryheid Magistrates Court on May 27 and held in custody for just two months before all six suspects were suddenly granted bail.

Questions around leniency in rhino poaching cases sent to the Department of Justice and the National Prosecution Authority remain unanswered, and a member at the court said they were under strict instructions not to discuss the case with the media.

Separately, a confidential source close to the matter criticized the criminal justice system, and said rangers and law enforcement officers felt betrayed.

“Shezi ranked as one of the country’s most wanted rhino poaching suspects and yet despite the overwhelming evidence against him, the courts still granted bail and released him.

“Being arrested for rhino poaching is like a perpetual debt trap for poachers. These criminals find themselves indebted to their syndicate bosses, and upon bail and release, they are forced to immediately go out and kill more rhino for horns.

“It’s literally becomes a vicious cycle for poachers who owe their bosses for bail amounts, attorney fees, transport costs, as well as the losses of confiscated vehicles and confiscated weapons. It’s unsustainable” he said.

Shezi was due back in court on December 5th to face trial on charges related to his arrest in May.

Asked repeatedly to verify reports that Shezi had been killed at iMfolozi on Tuesday, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo said:

“No comment”.

ENDS
 
He won’t reoffend.
 
In my view, he is Jackal food. His release on bail knowing his background shows that the SA court system is corrupted as well.
 
Thanks for sharing the news.
 
Good riddance. But his demise won’t ensure that rhino’s are secure. IMO the only way out of this is to legalize the trade in rhino horn and farm it commercially.
 
The shoot to kill order for these reprehensible criminals is all that is required. No issues with bail, corruption, etc. Armed individuals like this who are shot in the act of poaching have voluntarily given up their rights to life in exchange for their potential big payoff. This reality is all that will put a dent in poaching attempts.
 
Or make confrontations far more violent
 
Unfortunately, someone else will fill the void.
 
I whole heartedly agree with Mort Hill,poachimg for sustenance is one thing poaching for the man is anouther.
 
The shoot to kill order for these reprehensible criminals is all that is required. No issues with bail, corruption, etc. Armed individuals like this who are shot in the act of poaching have voluntarily given up their rights to life in exchange for their potential big payoff. This reality is all that will put a dent in poaching attempts.
I feel this would make an awful lot of gunfights happen.
 
I feel this would make an awful lot of gunfights happen.

Possibly. But as it stands, these scouts and rangers are potential targets the moment they step in the bush. If the norm became the body bag for the poachers, I am guessing, only guessing mind you, that the elephant and rhino, would be the beneficiaries of a less motivated poaching network.

Obviously, slaps on the wrist and minimal fines have not worked well.
 
I whole heartedly agree with Mort Hill,poachimg for sustenance is one thing poaching for the man is anouther.

And your definition of poaching for sustenance is?..... The massive industrial bushmeat poaching epidemic that is occurring across Africa could be defined as poaching for sustenance.... As some they eat...most is sold so they make money....So sustaining themselves..... But I think you will feel totally different if it's your animals being poached for meat..... So I have no issues of these poachers being shot.....the law should state that people on antipoaching duties are not liable to be charged in any way if they shoot poachers or injure them while doing this.....certain countries used to have a shoot on sight policy (some may still have) Zim used to have a unit that actively hunted poachers and shot them.... Till the poachers of all sorts...ivory...rhino horn...cat parts or meat start to realise that the dangers to themselves outweigh anything they get from the poaching..... Then say goodbye to wildlife in most areas that are not heavily protected...... And that's in the not too distant future......
 
what I meant was poaching to feed his family.poaching for the meat trade is still poaching for the man,arnt you now saying goodbye to wildlife that is not heavily protected where is the most poaching being carried out protected or not protected?
 

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