Seven rhinos, including a calf, were slaughtered on a farm in the North West Province at the weekend, prompting the local government to ask the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to intervene in stopping the scourge.

North West Province Premier Thandi Modise said on Monday that recent incidents dictate for extraordinary measures to protect rhinos which are the symbol of the country's ecology and rich heritage.

The latest deaths brought the number of rhino killed to 558 this year alone. Last year, 448 rhinos were killed in South Africa, including 19 black rhinos, a critically endangered species, of which fewer than 5,000 remain in the wild.

Modise said the cruelty and brutality against the rhino had gone too far. In the province alone, 21 rhinos were killed in recent weeks.

Earlier, the government dispatched the SANDF to the Kurger National Park, which bore the brunt of rhino poaching. But rhino poaching continues unabatted despite the military intervention.

The South African government has appealed to the public to assist in fighting rhino poaching as the number of illegally killed rhinos keeps rising. A hotline has been set up for the public to report incidents of rhino poaching or any tip-offs that could lead to arrests and prevention of illegal killings.

Modise called on communities in the proximity of game parks and farms and actively involved in nature conservation, tourism and anti-poaching strategies.

The premier also stressed the need to clamp down on the issuing of illegal hunting permits as part of intensifying law enforcement and crime intelligence to overcome the scourge of rhino poaching. Endi

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