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Eleven people, including two veterinarians, appeared in the Musina Magistrate's court today on charges related to rhino poaching. The DA commends that action is being taken to confront rhino poaching in South Africa, and hopes that there will be many similar arrests to follow. 2010 has seen an unrelenting assault on the rhino population of South Africa, with approximately 200 rhinos killed thus far this year, up from 120 rhinos in 2009. At this rate the number of rhinos killed by the end of the year could top 300.

The successful fight against rhino poaching requires a coordinated effort from the conservation authorities, the Hawks, the SANDF, the Civil Aviation Authority and civil society. It is especially pleasing to see civil society organisations, including environmental organisations, private reserve owners and farmers, taking the lead in recent weeks by coordinating efforts to protect rhinos and apprehend poachers. In many respects civil society has responded to the urgency of the threat to the rhino population, while government has been slow to get off the mark.

The DA has been keeping up the pressure on the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs over the last year. In January 2010 the DA warned that there would be an acceleration in rhino poaching this year unless government responded forcefully and in a coordinated way. Indeed the rhino poaching figures suggest there has been a significant increase in poaching incidents.

We requested and received a full status update on government's response in the Portfolio Committee, and we have submitted numerous questions to assess outcomes. There is now a National Wildlife Crime Reaction Unit, and the Minister announced an initial budgetary allocation for the fight against rhino poaching. There have been arrests, including the significant arrests this week, and in one incident a foreign national who attempted to leave the country with rhino horns was sentenced to ten years in jail.

Prosecutors working on the case of the nine people arrested this week need to press for maximum penalties available in the existing law, which means jail time without the option of a fine. There needs to be a strong signal that killing our rhinos will be met with severe consequences. The demand for rhino horn from the Far East is insatiable and thus this country needs to send a strong signal that there will be major consequences for poachers and the syndicates that control the trade of horns.

It is apt that these nine individuals appear in court on World Rhino Day. The DA associates itself strongly with this day, organised by the World Wide Fund (WWF), aimed at raising awareness about the plight of rhinos. There is good reason to blow our vuvuzelas today, following these arrests, as has been requested by WWF to mark this day.