- APU to be rearmed with appropriate firearms and arms of war
- Law to be amended to allow APU personnel to carry such arms
- Poaching, human wildlife conflict remain major challenges
The government has taken a decision to rearm the Department of Wildlife and National Park’s Anti-Poaching Unit with appropriate firearms and arms of war in an effort to combat illegal wildlife crime. The APU was disarmed by the previous administration under the pretext that it was not permitted by law to carry weapons of war.
Proposing the recurrent and development budget for the Ministry of Environment and Tourism for the 2025/2026 financial year this week, minister Wynter Mmolotsi said the main challenges that the ministry faces in managing wildlife and human-wildlife conflict.
“Poaching incidents of endangered CITES-listed species have increased by 16% for the period under review,” he said.
Mmolotsi told Parliament that to combat this illegal wildlife crime, his ministry is strengthening and rearming the responsible authority, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and intensifying cooperation with neighbouring countries.
“Furthermore, modern technologies are being implemented to improve anti-poaching efforts. As part of our comprehensive wildlife management and monitoring strategy, census of wildlife resources will be conducted in the coming financial year,” he revealed.
Further to this, Mmolotsi highlighted that the ministry is also in the process of amending the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act of 2023 to allow the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ anti-poaching personnel to carry appropriate firearms and arms of war to effectively discharge their duties of protecting our wildlife resources against armed poachers.
“The amendments will be brought to Parliament during this current sitting.”
On human wildlife conflict Mmolotsi indicated that while there has been a reduction in cases, it remains a major challenge and concern for the ministry, adding that the ministry continues to implement various initiatives and mitigation measures to address it.
Some of the initiatives geared towards addressing human wildlife conflict include the construction of a 140km non-lethal electric fence along the southern boundaries of Makgadikgadi/Nxai Pan National Park for approximately P49 million, annual preventative maintenance of game proof fences throughout the country. He also mentioned the development of a five-year National Human-Wildlife Conflict Strategy and Action Plan (2025 to 2030) in collaboration with the Okavango Research Institute (ORI), which is expected to be completed in June 2025;
The ministry is also reviewing the compensation rates and animals that can be compensated: and adding that the revised compensation rates will be submitted to cabinet for consideration by the end of June 2025.
“On another very important note, in our conservation efforts, we need to be mindful that our government is human rights-centric. In these efforts, I am here to reiterate once again that the Ministry will open the Sedudu-Ngoma transit route in the Chobe National Park which will operate for 24 hours effective April 1, 2025. This standpoint will allow people to enjoy their freedom of movement,” Mmolotsi told parliament.
