JOHANNESBURG – A 30-year-old woman was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, for smuggling and the illegal possession of two rhino horns, the environmental affairs department said on Friday.

In 2016 poachers killed 1054 rhinos in South Africa. Making the rhino horn trade legal won’t help #statingtheobvious https://t.co/ffAO4rlcws pic.twitter.com/oUAVNMH9ce

— IFAW United Kingdom (@IFAWUK) July 28, 2017

“The 30-year-old Zimbabwean woman was arrested after suspicious items were noticed by private security personnel during scanning of her check-in luggage and reported to customs officials who, in turn, called the Green Scorpions to assist with identification of the items. The horns were found hidden amongst electronic items in a suitcase,” spokesperson Albi Modise said.

READ: Woman held at OR Tambo for smuggling rhino horn

“The arrest of the Zimbabwean national in connection with the smuggling and illegal possession of two rhino comes less than two weeks after the arrest of a 24-year-old Chinese woman at OR Tambo International who was in transit from Zambia to Hong Kong. The Zambian national was arrested transporting 11 rhino horn.”

The Zimbabwean national is expected to appear in court soon.

Modise said that the confiscated rhino horn would be subjected to genetic profiling by the Forensic Science Laboratory of the South African Police Service (SAPS), to determine the origin of the rhinoceros horn or possible linkages with other investigations.

Environmental Affairs Minister, Edna Molewa, congratulated members of the Environmental Management Inspectorate (known as the Green Scorpions) for their assistance in the arrest of an alleged rhino horn smuggler.

READ: Thais probe official ‘escort’ for rhino horn smugglers

“The successes we are recording in terms of the Integrated Strategic Management approach can be attributed to the excellent cooperation with, and collaboration between, the Green Scorpions, [the SA Revenue Services] SARS, SAPS and other government agencies as they strive to combat the illegal import and export of wildlife products,”  said Molewa.

Modise said that in terms of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004) (NEMBA) as well as the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a permit is required to possess or transport rhino horn.

“Non-compliance with the NEMBA permit requirement is a criminal offence in which a person convicted of the crime is liable to a fine not exceeding R10 million, or a fine equal to three times the commercial value of the rhinoceros horn in respect of which the offence was committed, whichever is the greater; or an imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years; or both such a fine and such imprisonment,” Modise said.

African News Agency

Cape Town – Deputy High Education Minister Mduduzi Manana is still receiving VIP police protection, despite being charged with two counts of assault, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday.

“If he is still a deputy minister, we will protect him,” Mbalula told reporters at Parliament.

“We protect everybody who is appointed by the president, because they are the property of the State and of government and because that’s what we do.”

He was arguing against claims that Manana was receiving special treatment after he allegedly assaulted a woman at the Cubana nightclub in Fourways, Johannesburg, over the weekend.

“There are procedures you need to follow when you take away VIP protection.”

He said if Manana were to “step aside” his VIP protection would be revoked.

It was unclear if Manana’s bodyguards were present during the fracas and, if they were there, what role they played. Mbalula said this was being investigated.

On Thursday, Manana appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, Johannesburg, on two charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. He was granted R5 000 bail.

In a recording obtained by TimesLive, Manana can be heard admitting to the assault in a conversation with the brother of the woman, Mandisa Duma.

“I hit her, I slapped her,” Manana is heard saying. He argues that Duma swore at him and called him gay.

In a video posted on social media, Manana slaps a cowering woman.

Following social media outrage and calls for his head, Manana “apologised” and said there was “extreme provocation”.

The police’s VIP protection unit’s budget for 2017/18 is R2.8bn. The department of women in the Presidency’s budget for this financial year is R206m.

MIDDELBURG – The two men accused of assaulting and shoving farmworker Victor Mlotshwa into a coffin have racked up about R200,000 in legal fees during their trial, but they would not pay a cent of it as they were represented free of charge, their attorney said on Thursday.

Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Martins Jackson were represented by advocates Wayne Gibbs and Org Basson since the on-going trial started in the Delmas High Court on Monday.

Speaking to African News Agency (ANA) at the Middelburg High Court, attorney Marius Coertze said he appointed the two advocates because he wanted to help Oosthuizen and Jackson as they were currently unemployed.

He said both Oosthuizen and Jackson were also defrauded of about R50,000 by a certain man who masqueraded as an attorney and promised to defend them after they were arrested late last year.

“When we took over this case in March, from the previous lawyers, there were promises to collect money from donors or people who wanted to support the accused. But that did not happen,” said Coertze.

“That [fraud] was a huge blow for them. This case is quite unique and it is the first of its kind. If we don’t represent them, they will have no lawyers. The emotions are high out there because of this case. I have handled many other unique and difficult cases before, but this one is unique because of the coffin.”

READ: Coffin assault motivated by hatred for black people, says state

Oosthuizen and Jackson were arrested late last year, and they face charges including attempted murder, kidnapping, intimidation and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The incident happened on a farm near Middelburg and it was captured on a video that went viral on social media.

Coertze, who runs a private law practice in Pretoria, said he normally represented people free of charge twice a year.

The trial was expected to be concluded on Thursday, but it would still continue on Friday, added Coertze.

African News Agency

Cape Town – In an attempt to keep the pressure on the ANC after some of its members supported an opposition motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma, the DA called for the dissolution of Parliament, which if it succeeds, would necessitate early elections.

“Let’s uphold the will of the people,” said DA leader Mmusi Maimane when he announced on Wednesday morning that the DA will table a motion for the dissolution of Parliament on Thursday. 

This announcement comes a day after between 30 and 40 ANC MPs voted to remove Zuma as president, with mass rallies across the country calling for the same, although there were also rallies in support of Zuma. 

“The ANC may have won in the no confidence motion in Parliament yesterday, but it has lost the confidence of the country,” said Maimane.

“Yesterday, Jacob Zuma survived yet again, protected by the party that elected him twice and shielded him from accountability countless times. South Africa now needs a new beginning.

“We believe the voters should now have the chance to express their opinion about the conduct of the ANC in defending Jacob Zuma. In short, we believe that Parliament should be dissolved now so that the country can hold an early election.”

On Tuesday morning, before the afternoon’s motion of no confidence, the ANC caucus was told by ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe to vote against the motion as it is an attempt to get the ANC out of power.

The ANC’s speeches in defence against the motion during the debate, notably that of ministers Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Nathi Mthethwa, echoed this sentiment, rather than defending Zuma. Mthethwa went as far as likening the motion as an attempted coup de’ tat and regime change.

Maimane dismissed the question whether the motion to dissolve Parliament would serve as a rallying point for the clearly divided ANC.

“The ANC is united behind corruption. It is not my job to unite the ANC. I don’t have that power.”

He dismissed the regime change notion, saying the Constitution provides for motions of no confidence or to dissolve Parliament.

“Regime change would propose someone like Saddam Hussein,” he said.

“The call is for the strengthening of democracy, not regime change.”

During Tuesday’s debate, when ANC speakers said the motion of no confidence was an attempt to remove the ANC government, EFF MP’s raised points of order, saying it wasn’t an attempt to remove the ANC, but to remove Zuma. EFF leader Malema also said at the opposition leaders’ press conference that the will of the people, expressed in the 2014 election, must be respected.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa told News24’s last week that it would simply be impractical to hold early elections.

“We said Zuma must go, so obviously the ANC will continue to 2019. We are not contesting that,” Holomisa said.

“All we are interested in is for Zuma to leave because he has violated the oath of office.”

Maimane said the DA would lobby other parties to support the motion.

“Parties must then take a position, ” he said.

He said he was aware of the challenges currently faced by the Independent Electoral Commission, but did not see it as an impediment to an early election.