Progress and budget in the fight against poaching of SA’s Biodiversity

1. Progress and budget in the fight against poaching of SA’s Biodiversity Mr Ishaam Abader Deputy Director General Legal Authorisations Compliance and Enforcement

2. BACKGROUND • Wildlife crime is a serious threat to the security, political stability, economy, natural resources and cultural heritage of many countries, including SA • Rhino poaching recognised as a National Security threat • Co-ordinated through the Natjoints as a Priority Crime –expanded to Wildlife Crime for purposes of operationalising the national strategy • Concurrent Competence (environment and nature conservation) – national and provinces • Focus currently on rhino from a poaching perspective – availability of resources

3. BACKGROUND • The illegal killing of rhinoceros escalated in 2008 when 83 animals were illegally killed – increased to 668 killed by the end of 2012 • Initially no clear indications of exact reasons for these killings, suspected to be multifaceted requiring different approaches • DEA developed the National Strategy for the Safety and Security of the Rhinoceros Population and this strategy - approved by Cabinet in August 2010 • August 2014 – Cabinet adopted Integrated Strategy Approach to Rhinoceros – additional measures • Management rhino populations • Compulsory Interventions – focus security/enforcement • National and International Collaborationa and Co-ordination • Long term sustainability measures

4. INTERVENTIONS Developments relating to the implementation of the Rhino poaching threat as well as various initiatives that have been implemented by DEA since 2009: • A moratorium on national trade in rhino horn and its products on 13 February 2009; • Interim National Wildlife Crime Reaction Unit (NWCRU) in October 2010; • Rhino Poaching pronounced a national security threat; • Permanent National Wildlife Information Management in 2012; • SA playing an active role and contribute to international meetings and forums; • Signed MOUs with identified consumer and neighbouring countries (China, Vietnam and Mozambique; • Engagement of the JCPS on the matter which resulted in convening of a special forum by the chairperson for the purposes; • Co-chairs the Priority Committee on Wildlife Crime, • Joint implementation of borders through the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security • Appointment of an issue manager to facilitate stakeholder engagement on issues relating to rhino management, safety and security as well as trade;

5. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Mozambique • MOU signed on 17 April 2014 in Skukuza, Kruger National Park. • Implementation plan in final stages, to be signed in June 2015 People’s Republic of China • MOU signed in March 2013, • Implementation Plan signed in March 2015 The Royal Kingdom of Cambodia • An MoU finalized, will be signed on May 29, 2015 in South Africa; Thailand • An MoUwas drafted and presented in June 2013, not initalizeddue to instabilitywithin the Thai government. The draft was tabled in June 2013, but has not yet been finalised. People’s Democratic Republic of Laos • The MOU was finalised in July 2013, still awaiting signature

6. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Vietnam • MOU signed in December 2012 • Implementation plan signed in May 2013 • Official visit to South Africa for a study in March 2014. Agreed actions: • Continue with implementation of the MOU in order to assist each other to meet international obligations. • Further interaction will be undertaken in September 2014 in Vietnam, for an assessment of the intended establishment of Protected Areas and Transfrontier Conservation Areas in Vietnam as well as assess the implementation of an awareness strategy to influence demand • Conduct an awareness campaign to sensitize Vietnam Citizens, particularly young school children, on the subject of illegal trade and consumption of Rhino horn and other wildlife. • Vietnam will support South Africa in any initiative aimed at promoting sustainable use of natural resources. Vietnamese youth to visit SA in June and July to be exposed to the importance of Conservation of Wildlife

7. BUDGET : DEA & SANPARKS - RHINO

8. COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT:NATURE CONSERVATION • Rangers within the parks (grade 5 Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs)) – mandate only in the provincial park • Investigators – mandate within the province (grade 1 or 2 EMIs) • Standard Operating Procedure with SAPS – “pure environmental crime” • Critical to engage directly from provinces/parks – understand the allocation for wildlife crime/poaching within the overall allocation

9. BUDGET : FREE STATE • Biodiversity Enforcement Unit • Operational budget – R1 758 000 • Personnel budget – R3 500 000 (structure - 11 officials) • Rhino guards / rangers (13) – 4 protected areas • Additional 9 guards requested • Adequate budget for compensation but not equipment • Most rhino is on private property – private security

10. Personnel status - Free State Challenges: Lack of information sharing and need for national information SAPS do not share information but always want information Lack of adequate Compensation budget: Not enough qualified investigators to investigate wildlife crimes and shortage of rangers Lack of Operational budget : Equipment, vehicles and fuel to travel Wildlife crime not recognised as a priority Kilometer constraints only 2000km allowed per official per month (Treasury Instruction) - including investigators

11. Personnel Status – Mpumalanga

12. Mpumalanga - challenges • Lack of Operational budget - travelling/ equipment/ training • Lack of law enforcement and special investigation staff • Lack of adequate Compensation budget • Lack of information sharing • Enforcement & permit structure 68% vacant • Inability to pay informer rewards • No adequate information management system • Specialised training for field ranger staff/ APU

13. Personnel Status – Eastern Cape Department Challenges: Lack of information sharing between different investigation agencies Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget Others - Transport limitations / Informer networks and compensation

14. Personnel Status – Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency

15. EASTERN CAPE PARKS Total budget for 2015/16 for anti-poaching measures, security, etc: R 1 658 000 for 21 reserves (R 500 000 taken from elsewhere for two rhino reserves for equipment and security measures) Non-Infrastructure Catalytic Projects (Anti-Poaching Unit) – Request for funding submitted

16. Eastern Cape Parks - challenges • Lack of information sharing (SAPS, Agencies) • Lack of adequate Compensation budget • Lack of Operational budget (resourced anti poaching teams, equipment, vehicles, skills training) • Fleet

17. BUDGET : CAPENATURE Budget for Biodiversity Crime Unit – 2015/2016 Total Budget: R 1,639,501.68, which includes Personnel budget: R1,491,271.68 (3 staff members) Operational budget: R148,230, which includes Transport: R90,000 (3 vehicles) Cellphones: R19,956 (3 contracts) Travel claims: R30,800 (3 staff members)

18. Personnel Status – CapeNature Challenges: Lack of operational budget Low incidence of poaching leading to landowners not prioritising security CapeNature has no rhinoceros on any protected area. All rhinoceros in Western Cape occur on private property.

19. Personnel Status – Northern Cape Challenges: Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget Very poorly staffed

20. BUDGET : LIMPOPO

21. Personnel Status – Limpopo Challenges: Lack of information sharing Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget (for vehicles, equipment, air support Lack of staff and special investigation unit Lack of equipment Shortage / lack of security on private rhino properties (major concern) EMI and SAPS not working as a team

22. BUDGET : KZN KwaZulu Natal: Funding received from Provincial Treasury (State Funding) Duration: Prescribed once-off grant allocations (No personnel allocations)

23. BUDGET : KZN Budget Plan 2014 – 2017 Ezemvelo Wildlife Crime Intervention Programme

24. KZN Wildlife - challenges • Need to develop and implement a sustainable funding model, donations and grants in erratic and dictated form assist but money could be better used. (Donor Dictates?) • Improve bush tactical training • Need for sustainable awareness programmes. • Need for specialised and dedicated EMI detectives to focus on syndicate levels of rhino crime (vast majority of arrests are poachers entering reserves)

25. Challenges: • No dedicated investigators allocated due to shortage of staff and rely on SAPS for assistance. • No intelligence. • From end May 2015 - 75% vacancy in Special Investigations Unit. • No budget allocated or to be utilised for anti-poaching

26. BUDGET : NORTH-WEST – BIODIVERSITY REGULATION BUDGET ALLOCATION – 2014/15 ALLOCATIONS: Compensation of employees 23 657 000 Travel and subsistence 3 1430 826 Overtime 139 225 Danger allowance 24 633 Tel 109 468 Total 26,814,500

27. BUDGET : N-W PARKS The budget is cross cutting, it covers all operations conducted by Field Rangers in general in all 15 provincial reserves, in NW

28. Personnel Status – North-West Parks

29. NORTH-WEST PARKS - CHALLENGES • Lack of information sharing • Lack of adequate Compensation budget • Lack of Operational budget – need equipment • Difficulties in recruiting informers (no funding for rewards) • Delay on back-up from Law Enforcement Agency (SAPS) when potential threat identified

30. Personnel Status – North-West

31. NORTH-WEST PARKS - CHALLENGES • Lack of information sharing • Non-cooperation between various law enforcement agencies and lack of intelligence • Lack of adequate Compensation budget / Lack of capacity • Lack of Operational budget • Only a few anti-poaching teams in private properties - expensive exercise • Few rhino owners belong to existing associations – difficult to get cooperation from individuals farmers • Some rhino owners don't trust other farmers – suspicion in leaking information

32. GENERIC PROVINCIAL CHALLENGES • Parks boards and conservation authorities which are differently structured within provinces (eg. Gauteng vs Mpumalanga) • Unit to address anti-poaching vs investigative units • Necessary to compete for funding – within Province / Department (often combined with Agriculture/Economic Development/Tourism) • Some provinces receive donor funding but this is not sustainable funding (equipment needs can be addressed) • Significant amounts of donor funding possibilities – need to understand these and correctly allocate • Funding must be applied based on priorities – focus on rhino currently

33. PRIORITY FOCUS AREAS • Mpumalanga – although larger structures have been approved, a significant number of posts are unfunded / borders KNP / high levels of poaching • Age of rangers • Northern Cape – very poorly staffed / low budget • Limpopo – high levels of poaching and additional capacity should be viewed as a priority • Gauteng – high vacancy rate

34. CONCLUSION • Essential to identify funding opportunities / projects – match to the specific needs (challenge – compensation budget) • GEF Rhino Project – some of the equipment needs / training interventions / information sharing • Joint operations/projects/whole of government approach (provjoints) – SAPS detective unit – Stock Theft and Endangered Species • Latest numbers related to rhinos poached as at end of April 2015 – 393 compared to 331 at the end of April 2014 • Numbers poached outside of the KNP remained the similar to 2014 figures (increase within the KNP) • Increase in number of arrests compared to last year related to rhino poaching (end April 2014: 96 vs end April 2015: 132)