From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. An “intensive protection zone”, or IPZ, using sophisticated detection and tracking equipment on the ground as well as in the air is set to be established to combat rhino poaching in South Africa’s flagship Kruger National Park and assess anti-poaching tactics that can be applied in other regions of Africa. Natalie Greve attended the launch of the initiative to find out more.

Natalie Greve:
The IPZ, made possible by a R255-million donation from philanthropist Howard Buffett, through his private US-based charity the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, would include the creation of elite canine units, highly trained ranger teams, improved intelligence gathering and observation, as well as enhanced surveillance systems.

Buffet, the son of billionaire US investor Warren Buffet, likened South Africa’s fight against poaching to the US’s “border war” on drugs, noting that the Kruger park, which spanned Limpopo and Mpumalanga, was currently home to over 40% of the world’s remaining 22 000 rhinos, the largest single population of rhinos in the world.

Philanthropist Howard Buffett

Natalie Greve:
The funding announcement came as South Africa National Parks (SANParks) last month increased the total number of rhino poached in South Africa since the beginning of the year to 172, with South Africa’s largest park remaining the hardest hit, having lost 113 rhino since January 1.

A total of 18 rhino had been poached for their horn in Limpopo, 17 in the North West and 11 in KwaZulu-Natal.

Since January 2010, 1 383 rhinos had been poached within the Kruger park, forming part of a larger assault that had resulted in the death of 2 368 rhinos in recent years.

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, who represented her department at the announcement of the funding initiative, assured Buffet that the country was determined “not to lose this fight”.

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa

Natalie Greve:
Molewa told Engineering News Online that government would continue to work with private sector stakeholders and foreign governments in a bid to develop policy and establish bilateral agreements that would diminish the threat of poaching.

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa

Shannon de Ryhove:
Other news making headlines this week: Gauteng advances its master plan for non-motorised transport infrastructure; And, South Africa’s TB epidemic is one of the worst worldwide.

In a bid to accelerate the use of nonmotorised transport (or NMT) and reduce the province’s overall carbon emissions, the Gauteng Roads and Transport Department is currently developing a NMT master plan that will integrate all municipal NMT network plans in the province and commit sustainable sources of funding for the development of associated infrastructure.

Gauteng transport MEC Ismail Vadi

South Africa’s status as the country that has one of the highest number of tuberculosis  cases worldwide has put a spotlight on efforts to arrest and reverse the number of people living with the 100-year-old disease, thereby realising economic benefits of about R13-billion.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe

That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.