KZN Wildlife Employee Remanded in Custody - No Bail

The KZN Wildlife employee who was arrested in connection with rhino poaching will remain behind bars until his case is heard at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on 2 August.

Bheki Msweli was employed by KZN Wildlife as a Field Ranger and worked in the Imfolozi side of HluhluImfolozi Game Reserve as a guide on the walking trails until he was transferred to the Zululand Wildlife Investigation Unit at Opathi Game Reserve in mid-2011.

Msweli was caught in a trap laid by KZN Wildlife in order to flush out three suspected poachers within the organisation.  The second suspected ranger was one of those who drowned in Lake Nhlabane last month while attempting to seize illegal gill nets on the banks of the lake.  The third suspected KZN Wildlife Ranger is yet to be arrested.

Following an eight month joint investigation by KZN Wildlife and the Durban Organised Crime Unit, Msweli and Malusi Dubazane, unrelated to KZN Wildlife, were arrested on Friday in Mtubatuba and Melmoth respectively.  They are thought to have been in cahoots with Chinese, Vietnamese and Malawians who were recently arrested in Johannesburg in possession of rhino horns, elephant tusks and leopard skins.

Musa Mntambo, KZN Wildlife spokesperson, said that the organisation is hoping for more arrests.  Meanwhile, investigations are underway following the recent slaying of white rhino in the HluhluweImfolozi Game Reserve.

Research conducted by the Worldwide Fund for Nature has revealed Vietnam as the top destination for rhino horn, while China is failing to effectively police its illegal ivory markets and illegal ivory is openly sold in Thailand boutiques.