One booming crime sabotaging more than just South Africa’s economy

Environmental crime has become one of South Africa’s most serious national security threats, fuelling organised crime, endangering biodiversity, and putting the lives of rangers at risk.

Speaking on World Ranger Day at Table Mountain National Park, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Minister Dion George warned that wildlife crime is no longer a marginal issue but “economic sabotage.”

Poaching in South Africa has severe ecological, economic, and social impacts. Ecologically, poaching drives species like rhinos towards extinction, disrupting ecosystems and impacting biodiversity. 

Economically, it damages the vital tourism industry, reducing tourist numbers and revenue, and impacting communities that rely on tourism for their livelihoods. 

Socially, studies have shown that poaching can fuel corruption, conflict, and inequality within communities. 

“This is not petty crime. It is economic sabotage. It destroys local jobs. It puts rangers and law enforcement at risk,” said George.

Continuing a worrying trend, 2025 has been a busy year for environmental crime in the country.

South Africa has recorded 14 lion poaching incidents, several pangolin seizures, and the poisoning deaths of hundreds of vultures in Kruger National Park.

By the end of March, 103 rhinos had been poached in South Africa; an average of more than 34 per month.

In comparison, 420 rhinos were poached across the country throughout 2024, a drop from 499 the year before.

George emphasised that the criminals confronting South African rangers are akin to those targeted by conventional law enforcement agencies.

“This is not a patrol. Our rangers fight organised criminal syndicates that smuggle abalone, traffic wildlife, strip protected plants and steal from future generations,” he said.

“Some of our rangers cannot go home because poachers know where their families live. Others face verbal and physical threats, bribes disguised as favours, or retaliation from crime networks when they do their jobs too well.”

In response, George said South African National Parks (SANParks) has boosted ranger capacity by 43% over the past two years.

Table Mountain National Park alone employs 111 rangers.

He also highlighted the expansion of the Sea, Air, and Mountain Special Operations Unit, which has more than doubled in size since 2021 and carried out over 700 patrols and 71 rapid responses in the past year.

The minister praised the perseverance and dedication shown by South Africa’s rangers, drawing on his own experience attending a ranger training course earlier this year.

“I witnessed firsthand the discipline and endurance required to be a ranger in South Africa today,” he said.

“Men and women who live for weeks away from their families, who move quietly through dangerous terrain, who carry not only rifles but responsibility for our future.”

George added that his department plans to better equip rangers with tools to combat environmental crime, including canine units, drones, digital mapping technology, and stronger legal support.

Cracking down on poaching

As for action against these criminal syndicates, George said 40 suspects have been arrested for crimes against priority species in 2025.

Priority species include lions, leopards, African Elephants, white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, and various vulture species.

There have also been several convictions, with the most recent taking place at the beginning of July, when four foreign nationals were convicted for the poaching of protected plant species.

“Succulent plant theft, once seen as a niche, is now big business, with some rare species fetching exorbitant prices on illicit markets,” George said.

In June, a man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for rhino poaching, and another was sentenced to 110 years in jail for rhino poaching and trafficking in April after evading authorities.

SANParks board chair Pam Yako pointed to the importance of communities in combating this crime, which she describes as the “bedrock” of its conservation efforts, in a Newzroom Africa interview.

“If you have been involved in curbing any crime, you’ll know that you need the intelligence that community members often provide,” Yako said.

“They continue to do this because they also suffer from these activities and, simultaneously, see the benefit in this for future generations.”

She added that it is essential for South Africans to understand their responsibility to aid the country in its fight against poaching.