Another well-known sport hunting operator based in South Africa has been tied to a rhino poaching syndicate bust.
Saaiman Hunting Safaris has been added to the growing list of trophy hunt operators with ties to rhino poaching syndicates responsible for the South African rhino poaching crisis.
A helicopter and small Aerostar plane belonging to professional hunter Gert Saaiman of Saaiman Hunting Safaris are among the assets seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in a recent rhino poaching syndicate bust that also included Sandhurst Safaris.
According to a report filed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Saaiman and the proprietor of Sandhurst Safaris, Geoge Fletcher, are among those awaiting trial in October 2010 for racketeering, money laundering, various counts of theft, malicious damage to property and contraventions of the various provincial Conservation Acts and the Aviation Act.
It is alleged that the accused committed these offences as members of a group consisting of hunters, a pilot, middlemen (agents) and buyers, who illegally hunted rhinos and traded in the horns stolen from the rhino carcasses.
The Aerostar was used to locate the rhinos in various National Parks around the country. It was also used to transport poachers to different national parks where the rhinos were spotted. The rhinos would be shot and dehorned.
The Aerostar would then be used to transport horns to George Fletcher’s farm in Tosca.
Trophy hunting: The perfect smokescreen for rhino poaching syndicates
It should come as no surprise that South Africa’s trophy hunt industry has been infiltrated by rhino poaching syndicates.
Professional hunters’ existing businesses serve as an uncanny smokescreen for killing rhinos without attracting attention:
- Access to rhinos – and guns
- Vehicles for land and air transport
- First-hand geographical knowledge
- Publicly perceived as “conservationists”
It was also noted by wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC that Vietnamese nationals gained access to rhino horn by posing as trophy hunting “clients” in South Africa.
… numerous cases whereby Vietnamese “trophy hunters” paid above market price for rhino hunts, but then had to be instructed how to shoot and would completely forego any proper trophy preparation …
Unfortunately, rhino poaching syndicates are capitalizing on an existing infrastructure perfectly designed for slaughtering rhinos: Trophy hunt operators.
Source: South African Government Online
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Is it not possible to track these revolting poachers by placing a small transmitter in rhino horns, a small hole is drilled into the horn, transmitter inserted, the hole “cemented” up, and no one knows its there, can remain dormant for years, until you need to activate it. The horns can then be tracked to wherever they are, in a helicopter, wharehouse or whatever! It will be too late to save the life of the rhino, but these despicable poachers might get caught a lot sooner!
Hi Shirley -
Thanks for your comment. I agree and am in favor of microchipping rhino horns.
Recently, all black rhinos in Kenya were fitted with tracking devices. Another great idea:
http://www.rhinoconservation.org/2010/06/04/all-black-rhinos-in-kenya-being-fitted-with-tracking-devices/
- Rhishja
Gert Saaiman is still operating in Mozambique on Coutada 10. Just wondering if there is a way of keeping people like this from operating elsewhere in Africa. Can’t see how they can still be allowed to operate under any circumstances in the hunting industry!
@ buck Thanks for the info. I agree – operations like this need to be shut down and prevented from doing business.
I agree 100% people should be stop dealing with illegal trade and heavy penalties should be employed. However you should be innocent until found guilty. The report above is not completely true. None of Saaiman’s planes / helicopters have been seized. A professional hunter that used to work for him was “fired” / not re-employed a couple of years ago from Mozambique. After leaving Gert’s services for a while he was caught with Rhino horn and releases on bail. After this him and his brother was caught red handed in a reserve while poaching. Originally he showed whom he worked for and all relevant persons were apprehended. Only much later did he implicate Gert on a offering of a lessor sentence. The case have been in the courts several times and nothing has ever been shown to implicate Gert to this cruel and senseless killing. So please be sure about facts before destroying someones reputation.
Izak -
Thanks for your comment. Per the National Prosecuting Authority, the criminal trial of Gerhardus Bartlomeus Saaiman, George Clayton Fletcher, Frans Andries van Deventer, Kumaran Moodaley and five other respondents is scheduled to start in the North Gauteng High Court on 11 October 2010.
“The accused will face charges of racketeering, money laundering, various counts of theft, malicious damage to property and contraventions of the various provincial Conservation Acts and the Aviation Act. It is alleged that the accused committed these offences as members of a group consisting of hunters, a pilot, middlemen (agents) and buyers, who illegally hunted rhinos and traded in the horns stolen from the rhino carcasses.”
http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2010/10051110051001.htm
Regards,
Rhishja Larson
Just an FYI – Safari Club International, which is very active in conservation and eductation, has been notified of all this and ethics committee will also be looking at it. Saaiman has since been convicted. Word has spread, another person, alleged to be the ringleader, google Out Of Africa Safaris – groenwalde… believe me, the word is spreading and these guys will be arrested and their companies shut down as well.
My husband and I have known and hunted with Gert Saaiman for over 14 years. The last time being May and June 2010. We know his family and been friends for a very long time. He has visited our home in the States many times and we know him only to be a man of honesty and integirty. It always amazes me to the number of people who are ready to jump on a “bandwagon” to condemn someone. Maybe you should wait until all the facts come out. Maybe a disgruntled employee was caught doing something illegal and to save his own ass has tried to implement others.
I have been proven wrong by people before, but I would bet the farm that my faith in Mr. Saaiman is rightfully placed.
This has been a difficult time for he and his family so maybe some of you righteous people should be sure of what you are talking about.
gert has been a friend for years i do not buy into all this speculation about him poaching in s.a. have hunted with him 5 times and he is allways held us to the highest standards. will not believe he has done anything wrong. hope all the people that have judged him before he has gone to trial have a enought gut s to admit it after he has been acquitted .can not wait to hear from you then. yours truly michael
I hope the authorities take the time to investigate this matter better than the time they took to investigate the murder of Mr. Saaiman’s wife, which they seem to totally ignore and to my knowledge made only one vist in the last four years since this sensless tradegy took place.
Dear Judi
you are very brave to bet your farm that he is innocent………..because he is not. Inreality you would lose your farm.