South African court sentences two in major rhino horn trafficking case

Groenewald, identified as the mastermind, received a R2 million fine or four years' imprisonment after a plea deal, while Erasmus was fined R100,000 or three years in prison. The case, which began with investigations in 2007 and arrests in 2010, involved over 1,700 charges including illegal hunting, dehorning rhinos, racketeering, and money laundering. South Africa holds a significant portion of the world's black and southern white rhino populations and accounts for 81% of Africa's rhino poaching cases in 2024.

Rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine despite lacking health benefits. The legal proceedings faced over 15 years of delays, during which two of the original 11 accused and 10 of the state's 185 witnesses died. The case against three other individuals, Karel Toet, Marisa Toet, and Koos Pronk, has been postponed to August 20.

Last year, South African rhino farmer John Hume was also charged with involvement in a horn trafficking syndicate.