Conservationists have lashed out at KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala for not releasing a rhino task team investigation report for two years, according to the Mail & Guardian.

His predecessor, Willies Mchunu, commissioned the report in 2016 after a surge in rhino poaching numbers. Its terms of reference were to investigate rhino poaching and related criminal activity, including an assessment of the criminal justice processes.

The findings and recommendations of the task team could have been beneficial in finding solutions to the rhino poaching crisis, said a former Ezemvelo board member, who requested anonymity.

The late Frank Dutton, who led investigations into state capture for the Zondo Commission, was the chief investigator for the task team.

Soon after the appointment of members of SAPS and the State Security Agency to the task team in 2016, their services were withdrawn without any explanation, leaving the depleted team of Dutton, John Wills, former adviser to Mchunu, and Chris van Heerden of the Wilderness Foundation to finalise the investigation and compile the report.

At least 75 rhinos were killed in the first quarter of this year ending 31 March.

About 70 of the carcasses were discovered at Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.

By 14 April, the rhino carcass count had risen to 81.

Numerous attempts by opposition party members on Parliament’s Environmental Portfolio Committee to get the report have also failed.

Heinz de Boer, the DA spokesperson for Environment Tourism, has filed a public access to information application under the Promotion of Access to Information Act to get hold of the document. 

Full Mail & Guardian report