South African pro-rhino concert

South African pro-rhino concert poster

South Africa: ‘Our Beautiful Rhino’

8 July 2013

Eleven year old Tyrone Aaron invited Dr. Ramphele to speak at the ‘Our Beautiful Rhino’ concert on Sunday afternoon. As a Rhino SA Champion, Tyrone has already written several songs about the rhino, released a single, played with the Parlotones and now he has brought together friends and family for a fundraising concert.

With friends and family supporting in the band, Tyrone entertained the audience with jazz, classic favourites, recent hits and his own compositions. Dr. Ramphele was invited to speak to the young people in the audience, who do not want to be known as the generation that allowed the rhino to become extinct on their watch.

“As a daughter of rural Limpopo I share a deep passion for our beautiful country. It is a privilege to be able to spend time together today with such an inspiring group of young people. You are the very epitome of the active citizens that our country needs to tackle many of the problems we face. To be an active citizen is to be the spark that ignites change.”

Dr. Ramphele looked at the problem and the numbers of rhinos being poached.

“But why do people turn to poaching in the first place? Poverty and inequality are at the heart of the issue. Too many of our fellow citizens and indeed those of our neighbouring countries still live like forgotten people without the basics they need just to survive. Where there are few other ways to make a living, unemployed young people are an easy target for the poaching syndicates offering an income.”

She spoke about some of the measures being taken to prevent poaching and the need to work together – the experts, the rangers and conservationists, the scientists and the policy makers.

“If we can save the rhino, I wonder what we could achieve if we came together and applied ourselves to the other challenges our country faces.”

Young Rhino SA Champions, aged five to eleven, took the stage to show how they have been supporting the cause.

All proceeds from the concert went to Rhino SA and Sabi Sands Wildtuin.

Agang South Africa, the source of this article, is Ms. Ramphele’s new political party, officially launched last month. I don’t claim to be an expert on this party’s policies.

I agree with Ms Ramphele’s quotes here about rhino conservation; and about the need to link anti-poaching campaigns with campaigns against poverty and inequality.

However, then I read about Ms Ramphele being a former Managing Director of the World Bank; and a former board member of the Big Mining Anglo-American Corporation. So, organisations contributing to poverty and inequality, and, indirectly, to rhino poaching.

And I get a bit more skeptical. Nevertheless, this concert was a good idea. I hope it helps to save rhinos in South Africa and elsewhere.

August 2013. THE Irish high court has ordered that a man suspected of stealing rhino horns from museums, auctions and shops across Europe should be extradited to Austria to face trial: here.

August 2013. South African National Parks (SANParks) have arrested four poachers in the iconic Kruger National Park (KNP) by SANParks Special Forces and Rangers. The arrests took place in two different sections of the park amid latest statistics that 334 rhinos have been poached in the park this year alone: here.

August 2013. Qiang Wang, a/k/a Jeffrey Wang, a New York antiques dealer, has pleaded guilty in a New York court to conspiracy to smuggle Asian artifacts made from rhinoceros horns and ivory and to violating wildlife trafficking laws: here.

September 2013. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has successfully translocated a number of rhinos from Lake Nakuru National Park and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to the newly established Borana Rhino sanctuary in Laikipia: here.