Question NW831 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
17 October 2019 - NW831
Lorimer, Ms K to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
What number of convictions have been secured for the (i) poaching of and (ii) illegal use of wildlife in each month since 1 September 2016, (b) what are the details of the convictions and (c) in which magisterial division was each conviction secured?
Reply:
a) (i) The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) monitors and records prosecutions on
cases relating to the killing or attempted killing or injuring of a rhino in order to dehorn it, the possession, transportation, dealing in (trading) and importing or exporting of rhino horn without a legitimate permit. This also includes all incidents where the accused are found to be trespassing where rhinos are being kept whilst being in possession of any instrument capable of removing a horn, under circumstances where the only reasonable inference to be drawn is the death or injury of the rhino, in order to obtain its horn.
(ii) The NPA does not record statistics on illegal use of wildlife.
The table below contains information regarding the convictions over the specified period. A total of 199 convictions were secured from 210 verdict cases, representing a conviction rate of 94.8%. A total of 314 accused were convicted.
|
FINANCIAL YEAR |
RHINO CONVICTED CASES |
RHINO ACQUITTED CASES |
TOTAL VERDICT CASES |
CONVICTION RATE |
CONVICTED ACCUSED |
|
2016/17 |
26 |
1 |
27 |
96,3% |
39 |
|
2017/18 |
95 |
7 |
102 |
93,1% |
153 |
|
2018/19 |
62 |
3 |
65 |
95,4% |
97 |
|
2019/20 |
16 |
0 |
16 |
100,0% |
25 |
|
Grand Total |
199 |
11 |
210 |
94,8% |
314 |
b) More details of the 199 convictions are not readily available apart from the fact that 314 accused were involved in the 199 cases and convicted during this reporting period.
c) The convictions were obtained in the divisions set out below with the majority (101) being secured in the Mpumalanga Division.
|
DIVISION |
RHINO CONVICTED CASES |
RHINO ACQUITTED CASES |
VERDICT CASES |
CONVICTION RATE |
CONVICTED ACCUSED |
|
Eastern Cape Division |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100,0% |
3 |
|
Eastern Cape Division - Mthatha |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
0 |
|
Free State Division |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100,0% |
1 |
|
Gauteng Division: Provincial |
8 |
2 |
10 |
80,0% |
14 |
|
Gauteng Local Division |
22 |
2 |
24 |
91,7% |
34 |
|
Kwa-Zulu Natal Division |
17 |
2 |
19 |
89,5% |
25 |
|
Limpopo Division |
31 |
1 |
32 |
96,9% |
49 |
|
Mpumalanga Division |
101 |
0 |
101 |
100,0% |
160 |
|
Northern Cape Division |
1 |
1 |
2 |
50,0% |
0 |
|
North West Division |
14 |
3 |
17 |
82,4% |
25 |
|
Western Cape Division |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100,0% |
3 |
|
Grand |
199 |
11 |
210 |
94,8% |
314 |