Two Rhino Poachers, and former Field Rangers of SANPARKS. The two are Freedom Mabilane (38) and Tshifhiwa Ramuhashi (49), and they were convicted on poaching related incident that occurred in 2018.
The court heard that on 03 May 2018, tourists at Olifants Camp, in the Kruger National Park, indicated that they heard sounds of gunshots, leading to an investigation.
Mabilane and Ramuhashi initially admitted to have fired shots at an elephant that was charging them, but evidence later revealed that they had actually hunted and killed a rhinoceros in the park.
Following a thorough investigation, both the accused persons were arrested and charged. They appeared in the Skukuza Regional Court and were found guilty on Friday, 12 September 2025.
The court sentenced them to 14 years imprisonment; 04 years for conspiracy to commit an offence and 10 years for illegal hunting of rhinoceros.
The sentence should sends a strong message that poaching will not be tolerated, and those responsible will face the full force of the law. The two poachers have been declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi has applauded the SANPARKS officials, SAPS Investigation team, the Prosecution team and the Judiciary.
“We hope that the sentence will serve as a deterrence to others who might consider emulating the actions of the accused persons, ” said the General.
