Illegal wildlife traffickers could come face to face with authorities on Gauteng roads, through targeted multi-stakeholder roadblocks.
About 82 game carcasses of different animals, including Wildebeest, Impala, Warthog, Kudu and Guinea Fowl, were found to be transported legally on Sunday.
This was during a first of its kind, joint Compliance and Enforcement Operation Roadblock on the N1, near Hamaanskraal.
Shyla Peters, MEC of Environment in Gauteng spearheaded the roadblock, in partnership with a string of authorities, including the Green Scorpions, the police (SAPS), the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment management Inspectors (EMIs), the Gauteng Crime Wardens, the Department of Home Affairs (Immigration Unit) and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Veterinary Services.
Speaking about the roadblock, Peters said “the period between May and September is the hunting season of game. A lot of people visit other Provinces such as Limpopo during this period for hunting activities. Therefore, the roadblock was set up to disrupt illegal wildlife traffickers from other Provinces or countries.”
The Gauteng Vet Services’ role in the operation, is to inhibit the the unauthorized transportation of Warthog carcass into Gauteng from African Swine Fever Control Area of Limpopo.
Picture: GDARDE