The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said on Tuesday that their collaboration with the South African National Parks (SANParks) had proven to be successful in combating poaching activities.

SANDF Joint operation commander Elaine van Staden said that there had been successes in apprehending poachers and decreasing poaching activities since the collaboration with the SANParks rangers along the Mozambican boarders, where 11 percent of the elephant poaching was identified to be originating from.

They took part in a re-enactment for the media to show how the joint operations between the two forces was done inside the park.

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park International Coordinator Piet Theron said that the collaboration was a successful story and that it was good on the ground.

“A lot of the operational needs fed into the development of new policy and legislation in Mozambique, incursions have moved to the South African side.”

The international treaty between Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa were signed by heads of state in 2002.

The aim of the treaty was to promote alliances in the management of biological natural resources by encouraging social, economic and other partnerships between the parties including private sector, local communities and nongovernmental organisations.

During the re-enactment, the troops showed the items usually found in possession of the poachers when they were apprehended, which included guns, traditional medicine and a few food items.