RHINO: THE ENDGAME, a short film produced by Saving the Wild, premieres Monday 10 November on @saving_the_wild Instagram and SavingTheWild on Facebook.
"MINISTER, WHY IS THERE STILL NO MINIMUM SENTENCING WHEN A RHINO POACHER IS CONVICTED? I CAN SHOW YOU SPREADSHEETS WHERE POACHERS ARE GETTING OFF WITH NOTHING BUT A PETTY FINE."
-Jamie Joseph, Founder and Director of Saving the Wild
On October 30th, Jamie Joseph met with South Africa's Minister of Environment Dr Dion George, to discuss a proposal of minimum sentencing for poaching of rhino, pangolin and other endangered species.
Working with the global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, and supported by the largest rhino custodian stakeholders in South Africa, Saving the Wild’s proposal for minimum sentencing is currently under review (submitted August 28th), with the goal of the Ministry tabling the legislation in Parliament and making it open to the public for comment before the end of the year.
EVERY DAY ANOTHER RHINO IS KILLED IN SOUTH AFRICA. WE NEED BETTER LAWS. WE NEED A DETERRENT FOR POACHERS TO STOP KILLING. WE NEED THE ENDGAME.
And we need to be ready as a community, as a country, and as a global citizen, to support the bill when it comes out.
Please share this update with your network and invite them to follow the campaign on Saving the Wild's Instagram and Facebook:
https://www.instagram.com/saving_the_wild/
https://www.facebook.com/SavingTheWild/
We won't give up, and neither should you. We know what the roadblock is to minimum sentencing, and we can overcome this, if we stand together. In Mozambique the minimum sentencing is 16 years for poaching an endangered species, and in Zimbabwe it's 9 years. It's unacceptable that there is no minimum sentencing in South Africa, home of the rhino.
Fifteen years into a war that is still raging, and it's long overdue the government brings us the endgame.
“Poaching threatens our economy, our national security, and the rule of law. The illegal rhino horn trade is linked to money laundering, corruption, and other serious crimes. We will not turn a blind eye.”
-Minister Dion George
Well, lets see about that...
Image: William Fortescue for Saving the Wild | Tear for the Fallen.