JV and THE BIG CATS

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Newsletter 79
10/10/13

An open letter to The Vice President of ANC, South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa 

Dear Sir, 

Having recently personally purchased for R18 million a buffalo bull, I know you are someone who cares about our wildlife and heritage. 

My problem is this, in September 2011, I implored the President, Jacob Zuma to treat the invasion of Mozambicans who are killing our rhino as an invasion of our country.

I feel the President, like President Ian Khama of Botswana, should be at the forefront of this rhino crisis. 

As from my attached letter, you will see that the war is intensifying into the private game reserves. In desperation, I have written a letter to the Minister of Defense, but I have had no response.

I find the ANC Government aloof and non-communicative with its citizens.

Can you urge the Minister of Defense to commit troops to crush this poaching once and for all. 

Could you as Vice President, take this crisis  into your  own hands and play  the role that President Ian Khama is playing. This involves appearing on TV, motivating and inspiring us who are trying to combat the poaching. We desperately need leadership! 

The fire that you displayed when you were leading the unions against the big mining companies during apartheid, is needed now! 

Please reply to [email protected] 
Cell number: 083 6511 600 

Tread Lightly on the Earth
John Varty
Co-owner of Londolozi Game Reserve
Founder of Tiger Canyons

Please sign and share our Avaaz petition about rhino poaching
to be delivered to Cyril Ramaphosa

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_Rhino_Poaching_in_South_Africa_1/

This letter is copied to the following:

1) President of South Africa - Jacob Zuma - [email protected]
2) Min Defence and Military Veterans - Ms Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula -   [email protected]
3) Min Justice and Constitutional Development - Mr Jeff Radebe - [email protected]
4) Min Police - Nathi Mthethwa - [email protected]
5) Min Tourism - Marthinus van Schalkwyk - [email protected]
6) Min Water and Environmental Affairs - Edna Molewa [email protected]
7) Premier Mpumalanga - Mr David Dabede Mabuza  [email protected]
8) Premier Eastern Cape - Ms Noxolo Kiviet - [email protected]
9) Leader DA - Helen Zille [email protected]
10) Vice President ANC - Cyril Ramaphosa - [email protected]

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An open letter to the Minister of Defense and Military Veterans, Ms Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula and copied to President Jacob Zuma and Minister Edna Molewa

Me Defense Minister 

My name is John Varty, I am co-owner of Londolozi Game Reserve in the Sabi Sand Reserve alongside Kruger National Park.

I am founder of Tiger Canyons in the Free State of South Africa. I am  fourth generation South African and have spent a lifetime in the conservation business. 

In the 70's I was involved in the anti poaching movement in Kenya attempting to protect their rhino. The effort ultimately failed, because the then president Jomo Kenyatta failed to put the Kenyan army behind the National Parks and private organizations trying to fight the poaching. 

Lessons weren't learnt and in the 80's, Zambia lost all its rhino when President Kenneth Kaunda and Chiluba again failed to support the men on the ground with the national army. 

South Africa is now making the same mistake. History has taught us nothing! 

The rhino war is shifting into the private game reserves alongside the Kruger National Park. We are in the tourist business not the anti poaching business. We do not have the finance or expertise to fight this war. Our lodges are internationally known and we are huge employers of people, even more than the mines. 

My question is why is the South African Defense Force not deployed to help us? Why are senior members of the Defense Force not strategizing with us daily? 

I believe that in the controversial multi billion rand arms deal, you have helicopters sitting on the ground. We are in desperate need of air support. 

My information is that you have forces fighting in the Central African Republic while daily Mozambicans raid into our game reserves, killing our rhino. 

With due respect, President Ian Khama of Botswana, is setting an example. His entire army is aiding the conservationists and he has a "shoot to kill" policy.

Ian Khama is communicating with Botswana citizens daily, he is hands on and showing incredible leadership. We need the same! 

I wrote to President Zuma in September 2011 imploring him to take charge of the rhino crisis. I have heard nothing. 

I would like to see you as Minister of Defense on television, in the press leading us through this crisis, communicating, strategizing and inspiring us.

I implore you to make available troops immediately and treat this as a full scale invasion of our country. 

When bandits from Tanzania invaded the Masai Mara in Kenya attacking tourists, President Daniel Arap Moi, put the full force of the Kenyan army against them.

Within months the problem was solved. We need this approach and we need it now! 

I would please like a reply to my request urgently.

My email is [email protected]
Cell phone is 083 6511 600 

Tread Lightly on the Earth
JV 

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Similar letter by Allison Thomson (OSCAP - Outraged South African Citizens Against Poaching) to the Minister

OPEN LETTER TO THE HONOURABLE
MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS

Ms Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula

Dear Minister

The problem facing the Republic of South Africa regarding the wanton poaching of our Rhino and other species of animal has now reached epidemic proportions, with 446 rhino recorded as already having been poached, this year, alone. 

Apart from the tragedy and suffering that this signifies for our rhino this has become a national security tragedy for the country in that armed foreigners protected by armed foreign gunmen are crossing our borders, especially into the Kruger National park with the aim of poaching rhino for their horn, but also with the intent to defend what is not theirs, if necessary, by taking the lives of our park rangers and soldiers! In any country this would be considered a very serious national security issue and constitutes nothing less than an armed foreign incursion and in some instances a declaration of war. 

Whilst the Republic spends hundreds of millions of rand every year in peacekeeping efforts on the continent, a low scale war is being waged on our own border almost without answer except for the approximately 150 military personnel deployed to the Kruger National Park to protect more than 350km of border. In a normal 3 watch system this means that a mere 50 military personnel can be on duty at any one time. So we have a situation where there is 1 man available for about every 7 kilometres of border, at any one time. We are clearly not taking this very serious threat to our national security, in which our soldiers and park rangers are threatened daily as seriously as we should be.

Present conventional wisdom, as reported in the press, purports that the proceeds of rhino poaching (and probably the poaching of other animals) are being channelled to RENAMO in Mozambique. It is widely accepted that RENAMO is a destabilising force in Mozambique and that it is quite willing to revert to acts of terrorism in order to de-stabilise the government of Mozambique. Thus, our inaction against poachers (armed foreigners operating with military force including helicopters, night vision equipment and high calibre assault rifles), is indirectly supporting instability, not only in our region, but right here on our doorstep. 

Minster, the time has come to take this threat to our national security and to the national security of our neighbours, very seriously. This low scale war on our national borders between the Kruger National Park and our neighbouring countries is a war which we cannot afford to lose. Your legacy as the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and that of the Government of South Africa is dependent on winning this war, more so than it is on our peacekeeping efforts in far flung places on the Continent such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the Central African Republic. This is not a war against our neighbouring countries; this is a war against their destabilising forces! 

We need more troops in the Kruger National Park, authority for our troops and rangers to pursue poachers into our neighbouring countries (in our neighbouring countries’ own interests) and a properly built and patrolled fence along our border. We must also make use of the latest technologies for detecting transgressions of our border and must have a complete rethink of the Trans Frontier National Park, which has merely turned out to be an excellent mechanism for transferring our game to areas where it can be slaughtered at will, with no commensurate benefit to our national security or the state coffers!

Minister, National Security is everyone’s concern and responsibility, the job of protecting it, in this case, is yours!

Yours faithfully

A Thomson 
Director
OSCAP

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