Dawie Groenewald fined R2 million in rhino horn trafficking case after 16 years
via The Citizen2 min read
Dawie Groenewald, identified as the mastermind behind a large-scale rhino horn trafficking operation, has been fined R2 million or faces four years imprisonment, with an additional 10-year suspended sentence for five years, following a plea agreement with the State. Groenewald and co-accused Tielman Erasmus appeared in the Polokwane High Court, concluding a case that involved allegations of racketeering, money laundering, and trafficking dating back to 2008. The National Prosecuting Authority stated that Groenewald's total fines exceed R10 million and he faces 36 years imprisonment across various offenses. The charges stemmed from his role as manager of a professional hunting outfitter, where he allegedly sourced rhino horns from his own rhinos and other private owners to supply the black market in Southeast Asia. The State agreed to the plea deal, noting that no rhinos were poached by the accused. The case against Karel Toet, Marisa Toet, and Koos Pronk was postponed to August 20, 2026, for further representations.
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