The Shangoni Ranger Section in the Kruger National Park is doing a lot of hard work cleaning up poaching in the area. Section ranger, David Manganye, welcomed me to do a story about Peter Chauke, not an unknown figure at Shangoni. Peter had been arrested by many of David’s predecessors at the ranger section for poaching. David and his team also arrested Peter’s wife in May for allegedly poaching fish, at night, in Kruger.
In another incident three alleged poachers were after buffalo that had moved from Kruger into the adjacent communal land. The driver of the bakkie was apprehended at the living quarters of the Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board living quarters and taken to the Giyani police station for questioning.
“People poach for various reasons – to stay alive or to make money,” says David. Some families have been poaching in the park for years, he adds. They know the park so well they only take food, cooking utensils and weapons on their excursions into Kruger. They know where to find water.
One woman, who had lost an arm to a crocodile one night while fishing inside Kruger, had been apprehended, but, despite her harrowing experience said, “It is in my blood,” knowing she would do it again.
David says he has an agreement with most of the traditional leaders at the bordering villages - Mtitititi, Alten, Muyexe, Mahlathi, Ndindani, Planji, Hlomela, Lombaard, Mangona, Mashobye, Bevula, Nthaveni and Maluleke – that an alleged poacher will be brought before the leader, in addition to being charged in a court of law.
The photo is an example of some of the weapons that are found.
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