Killing for Profit: Exposing the Illegal Rhino Horn Trade (56 page)

It was a frustrating end to my search for the kingpin. But, in a way, it was also a reminder of how untouchable the crime bosses who drive the rhino horn trade really are.

In South Africa, arrests for rhino-related crimes have almost doubled. Police are beginning to chip away at some of the Vietnamese syndicates, and a number of high-level figures and key contact men in South Africa have been arrested. But more than 80 per cent of arrests continue to be those of poachers – low-level hired guns from impoverished villages in Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. They are cannon fodder, easily replaced. The remaining 20 per cent of those arrested are middlemen, couriers and local exporters. Their arrests are more disruptive. But eventually someone else always steps into the breach.

Within months of the arrests of Vixay’s alleged lieutenants, Chumlong Lemtongthai and Punpitak Chunchom, there were indications that another Thai national had arrived in South Africa to co-ordinate Xaysavang’s shipments. The company suspended efforts to export rhino horn trophies, but the flow of lion bones continued unabated.

Vixay, however, seems not to have given up on his quest for supplies of horn. A short time after my return home, an undercover investigator recorded Vixay bragging that he had ‘many customers’ for rhino horn in Vietnam. He claimed the Laos government had given him a ‘quota’ to trade in ivory, horn and tiger bones. And he said he would be prepared to pay many thousands of dollars for a kilogram of rhino horn.

It is surely only a matter of time before someone steps forward to claim the bounty.

BAKKIE
– pickup truck

BLIKSEM
(
N
) – scoundrel

BLIKSEM
(
V
) – beat (someone) up

BOERTJIE
– diminutive of Afrikaans word for farmer

BOSSIES
– literally bush-mad or crazy. Often used in reference to soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder

BRAAIVLEIS
– barbecue where meat is grilled over an open fire

D
IE
B
OSKROEG
– The Bush Bar

DOOS
– vulg. cunt

DORP
– small town

DROËWORS
– dried sausage

FARANG
– generic Thai word for a Westerner

FINISH AND KLAAR
– South African expression meaning ‘that’s an end to it’

F
LOSSIE
– Hercules C130 military transport plane

FOKOL
– none; nothing; often translated as fuck-all by English-speaking South Africans

GIRLTJIE
– derog. diminutive

IMPI
– usually refers to an armed band of Zulu warriors involved in urban or rural conflict

IMPIMPI
– rat, informer, traitor

JIRRE
– exclamation of astonishment/horror/dismay. Derived from the Afrikaans word
Here
, which means God

JISSUS
– exclamation of astonishment/horror/dismay/irritation. Derived from Jesus

KAK
– shit, rubbish

KAPLYN
– the cut-line: the narrow strip of no-man’s-land cleared of bush that served as a buffer between Angola and Namibia

KLOMP DRONKGATTE
– a bunch of drunkards

KOPPIES
– hills

LEKKER
– South African word widely used by various language-speakers to mean very nice/good or pleasant

MOERED
– vulg. beat up

MOERSE
– vulg. tremendous/big/massive

MOS
– just

MUTI
– traditional medicine

OKES
– guys

OUENS
– guys

PLAT
– literally flat; down to earth

POLISIEKOFFIE
– literally police coffee. Refers to a popular drink mix of Coca-Cola and brandy

R
OOI
G
EVAAR
– the red peril or communist threat

SLAPGAT
– slapdash

STOEP
– veranda

TERRS
– terrorists

TJOEKIE
– jail

TROMMELS
– metal trunk

TROEPIE
– a diminutive reference to a foot soldier. From the word ‘troop’

WOEP-WAP
– onomatopoeiac word for the sound a knife makes

WINDGAT
(
ADJ
.) – vulg. windbag, braggart

ANC
African National Congress

ANCYL
ANC Youth League

ATF
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

BBC
British Broadcasting Corporation

BCCI
Bank of Credit and Commerce International

BUAV
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection

CBCU
Customs Border Control Unit

CI
confidential informant

CI
Crime Intelligence (of the South African Police Service)

CIO
Central Intelligence Organisation (Zimbabwe)

CITES
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

CODIS
Combined DNA Index System

CSI
Chief of Staff Intelligence (South African Defence Force)

DA
Democratic Alliance

EIA
Environmental Investigation Agency

ENV
Education for Nature–Vietnam

ESPU
Endangered Species Protection Unit

EWT
Endangered Wildlife Trust

FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation

FNLA
Front National de Libération de l’Angola (National Liberation Front of Angola)

IFAW
International Fund for Animal Welfare

ISCOR
Iron and Steel Corporation

IUEF
International University Exchange Fund

KWS
Kenya Wildlife Service

LPRP
Lao People’s Revolutionary Party

MDC
Movement for Democratic Change

MI
Military Intelligence

MOU
Memorandum of Understanding

MPLA
Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola)

NPA
National Prosecuting Authority

NPB
Natal Parks Board

NRG
National Research Group

NUSAS
National Union of South African Students

PAIIC
Pan African Industrial Investment Corporation

PH
professional hunter

PHASA
Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa

PIDE
Policia Internacional e de Defesa do Estado (Portuguese International and State Defence Police)

RAR
Rhodesian African Rifles

RENAMO
Resistência Nacional Moçambicana (Mozambican National Resistance Movement)

REF
Rhino and Elephant Foundation

RhoDIS
Rhino DNA Index System

Rhodesian SAS
Rhodesian Special Air Service

SADF
South African Defence Force (post-1994 it has been known as the SANDF – South African National Defence Force)

SAHA
South African History Archive

SANF
South African Nature Foundation

SANParks
South African National Parks

SAPS
South African Police Service

SARS
South African Revenue Service

SAS
Special Air Service (British)

SCI
Safari Club International

SSA
State Security Agency

SWAPO
South West Africa People’s Organisation

SWAPOL
Namibian Police (originally South West African Police)

TCM
traditional Chinese medicine

TOPS
Threatened or Protected Species regulations

TRT
Tactical Response Team

UNITA
União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola)

USFWS
US Fish and Wildlife Service

WHO
World Health Organization

WTO
World Trade Organization

WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature (prior to 1986 it was known as the World Wildlife Fund)

ZANU-PF
Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front

Zimparks
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority

ZRP
Zimbabwe Republic Police

This book is the result of a more than two-year-long investigation into the criminal underworld of rhino horn trafficking. It is a book that could not have been written without the selflessness and sacrifice of those closest to me, the unforgettable kindness of strangers, and the invaluable contributions of many people who have encouraged and helped me along the way.

I am incredibly fortunate to have the close circle of friends that I have, some of whom played a more direct role in this book than others, but I am grateful to all of them for their support in the long months that it took to produce.

Two of the finest investigative journalists I know, Jacques Pauw and Sam Rogers, were unstinting in their support. Jacques, my former editor and colleague at Media24, believed in this story from the very beginning and encouraged me to pursue it. His advice, guidance and insights into the often rocky road of writing a book were indispensable. As were his lunches.

Geoffrey York and Erin Conway-Smith were voices of sanity amidst the chaos. This book would have been much poorer without Geoffrey’s keen eye, his astute reading of the manuscript, and his numerous suggestions, comments and edits. I am indebted.

No journalist should be without a lawyer like Willem de Klerk. One of the finest media lawyers working in South Africa today, he is someone whose judgement, candour and guts I have come to respect.

Thanks also to Robb Northey, Julia de Bruyn and Tim Hopwood. And I should not forget Bea, my constant writing companion and ‘co-author’, who sat on the windowsill, watched me write and sometimes dozed off as I droned on about the book.

Killing for Profit
took me on a journey across southern Africa and Southeast Asia. In Zimbabwe, I am particularly thankful to Blondie Leathem, Natasha Anderson and Norman English. In Vietnam, to Scott Roberton. There are a number of other people who aided me in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Laos and Thailand – sometimes at great risk to themselves – whose identities have to be protected. They know who they are.

Stephen Ellis, a scholar and journalist of the old school, completed my collection of Operation Lock documents and graciously shared his unparalleled knowledge and insights of the operation and the SADF’s involvement in the smuggling of ivory and rhino horn.

My gratitude to Judge Mark Kumleben, whose work shed so much light on a dark chapter in our history, for allowing someone he’d never met to borrow the only copy he has of his invaluable 1996 report.

Karl Ammann and Steve Galster – two inspirational wildlife investigators – added immeasurably to my knowledge of the trade and the operations of Southeast Asian syndicates.

I was privileged to share the road with several journalists and filmmakers. Special thanks to my most frequent travelling companions, friends and fellow troublemakers: Phillip Hattingh, Pierre van Heerden and Kyle Hattingh. Your generosity and kindness can never fully be repaid.

My appreciation to Peter Gwin, who travelled a path similar to mine and readily shared insights and ideas. He also memorably introduced me to the Dead Guy at one of Washington D.C.’s best-kept secrets.

I’m particularly grateful to Kelly Buzby. Also to Karen Schoonbee – an incredible researcher and journalist – whose contribution to this book was invaluable. Thanks, too, to Russell MacLaughlin for introducing me to the ‘invisible highway’ and the people on it.

Many thanks to Clifford Bestall, Jonah Hull, Chris Everson and Sebastian Dunn, Charles Moore, Braam Malherbe, Godknows Nare and Melusi Ngwenya.

I am proud to have worked with several Media24 colleagues who have done exceptional reporting on rhino crimes and whose work and support have aided this book: Wolfram Zwecker, Buks Viljoen, Elise Tempelhoff, Marietie Louw-Carstens and Hanti Otto. Thanks also to my former editor in
the Media24 investigations unit, Andrew Trench, who suggested that there might be a book in my rhino investigations. Also Ingrid Pepler and the editors who published the stories, Tim du Plessis, Peet Kruger, Ferial Haffajee and Yvonne Beyers.

Many people went out of their way and gave of their time to answer persistent questions and aid my broader understanding of an extremely complex issue. In particular – though not in any particular order – I would like to thank Ian Player, Jan Breytenbach, Des Burman, Johan Jooste, Joanie Spies, Ansie Venter, Marilé van Heerden, Tom Milliken, Jo Shaw, Rynette Coetzee, Gareth Morgan, Rhishja Cota-Larson, Ken Maggs, Mario Scholtz, Bud Cockroft, Hendrik and Elise Daffue, Charmaine Swart, Charles van Niekerk, Adrian Lackay, Kirsty Brebner, Sonja Meintjes, Magdel Boshoff, Olga Kumalo, Albi Modise, Johnny Olivier, Michael ’t Sas-Rolfes, John Hume, Dawie and Sariette Groenewald, Hennie Erwee, Chris van Wyk, Adri Kitshoff, David Newton, Piet Lategan, Selomie Maritz, Ed and Lorinda Hern, Ruben de Kock and the Lemmer and Zitha families.

Pulling together a book is a collaborative effort. Many thanks to Kirsten van Jaarsveld, who painstakingly transcribed the recordings of a large number of my interviews. I am also indebted to the team at Zebra Press: publisher Marlene Fryer, who took a chance on a little-known writer; my editor, Ronel Richter-Herbert, who patiently coaxed this book into being amidst a flurry of missed deadlines; and Jane Housdon for her diligent proofreading, advice and insights.