Jump to content

Dawie Groenewald

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dawie Groenewald
Born
Dawie Jacobus Groenewald

1968
Occupation(s)Safari operator and game farmer
Years active1990s-current
Employer(s)Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris, Valinor Trading CC
Organization(s)Musina Mafia, Groenewald Gang
Criminal statusConvicted 2010, United States for illegally importing a protected species in violation of the Lacey Act
SpouseSariette Groenewald
Criminal charge1,600+ charges related to racketeering, wildlife trafficking and poaching

Dawie Jacobus Groenewald (born c. 1968)[1] is a South African game farmer, hunting safari operator and convicted wildlife trafficker. Groenewald is currently awaiting trial on over 1,600 criminal charges related to wildlife trafficking and rhino poaching in South Africa, as part of the largest wildlife crime case in the country's history. In 2010, he was convicted of wildlife smuggling after illegally importing a leopard trophy to the United States. In 2014, the United States Justice Department indicted Groenewald and his brother on 18 charges related to trafficking and wildlife crimes offenses, he awaits extradition.

Biography

[edit]

Dawie Groenewald owns and operates a 10,600 acre game farm, Pragtig outside of Musina, Limpopo[2] and runs a safari business known as Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris.[3] Before becoming a safari operator and game farmer, Gronewald was a police officer.[3][4]

Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris

[edit]

Beginning in the 1990s, Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris advertised safari trips to hunting clubs in the United States, notably in Michigan and at trade shows.[5][6] The company organised hunting tours in Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa and Zimbabwe.[4] Groenewald managed the company with his brother Janneman Groenewald, who lived in Autauga County Alabama, where he managed the company's U.S. operations.[7]

In 2003, Gronewald began offering hunting tours of Zimbabwe. Critics alleged Gronewald and Out of Africa operated illegal safaris on the lands of evicted white farmers and was insulated from scrutiny by ties to the country's ZANU-PF government.[8][6] In September 2005, Gronewald and Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris was banned from entering Zimbabwe by the country's Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.[8] At the time, David Coltart, a Zimbabwean cabinet official, described Gronewald's operation as "a cruel organisation which has no respect for the environment".[3]

Groenewald denied his company was operating unethically. He said, "The white Zimbabweans hunting in Zim don't want anyone else coming in there to hunt--they hate South Africans coming to hunt in their kingdom".[6]

In 2010, despite the ban, it was reported that Gronewald still offered hunting safari tours in Zimbabwe, under the moniker, Africa Dream Safaris.[8]

In 2006, Groenewald was suspended from the South African Professional Hunters Association over accusations of poaching and for bringing the organisation into disrepute.[3][9] At the time, other big game hunters alleged Gronewald was hunting illegally on his safari hunts. Game farm owner and big game hunter Dale McClelland notified Safari Club International about Gronewald's conduct, but the organization's ethics committee did not act on the allegations.[5] An indictment by the United States Justice Department would later detail from 2005 to 2010, Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris charged American hunters up to $15,000 to shoot rhinoceros and other African wildlife without legal permits.[1]

Lacey Act conviction

[edit]

In April 2010, Groenewald was arrested in the United States for importing an illegally caught leopard trophy to the United States. The leopard was killed by an Alabama hunter on an illegal South African hunt organised by Groenewald in 2006.[10] Groenewald was indicted by the United States Justice Department and imprisoned in Alabama. He later pled guilty to violating the Lacey Act and was ordered to pay $30,000 in fines and $7,500 in restitution.[10][11]

2010 charges

[edit]
Groenewald's co-defendants included two veterinarians who were alleged to have tranquilized rhinoceroses to entirely remove their horns while they were still alive. This image depicts a severely dehorned rhinoceros after the procedure, which can cause tremendous pain and suffering when done improperly.

In 2009, Groenewald and his wife purchased 36 rhinos from Kruger National Park allegedly for breeding for their game farm.[12][13] In September 2010, Groenewald was arrested with nine other persons, including two veterinarians, a pilot and professional hunters who were charged with 1,872 counts of related to various crimes related to racketeering and illegal wildlife trafficking.[14][15] Groenewald caught the attention of local officials in Limpopo Province after his neighbors reported rhino poaching and a low flying helicopter, belonging to Groenewald over their properties.[12][16] When his property was searched, authorities found a "burial site of over a dozen horn-less rhinos",[17] including some of those purchased from Kruger a year earlier.[12] Other dehorned rhinoceros were sold to a local butchery to evade detection.[18]

The 1,872 charges against Groenewald and his co-conspirators became the largest wildlife crime cases in South African history.[19] The magnitude of the case, would drag through the South African court system for the next decade.[20] While waiting for the trial to go to court, Groenewald was released on a R1,000,000.00 bail, said to be the largest amount ever paid for a wildlife felony case.[5][21] Bryan Christy reported authorities traced 439 rhino horns to activities at Groenewald's game farm.[22] At the time of Groenewald's arrest, he additionally faced a number of civil lawsuits from members in the hunting community, and was subject to a no-contact order after issuing a death threat to a former business partner.[5]

In 2012, the government of South Africa seized R55,000,000.00 from Groenewald and his co-conspirators, through the country's civil asset forfeiture laws.[23] At the time, the value of assets seized was worth $7 million U.S. dollars.[24] Despite his pending charges, on bail, Groenewald received several permits from the Government of South Africa to hunt white rhinos, as well as serval, leopard, civet cats and a wild cat.[12][25] In 2013, the South African government proposed a plan to legalise the trade in rhino horn, aiming to work with the private sector to eliminate poaching through a legal trade.[26]

Czech Republic investigation

[edit]

In September 2013, authorities from the Czech Republic investigating the illegal trade in white rhino horns imported to the Czech Republic from South Africa traced falsely declared rhino horn to hunts that took place on Groenewald's farm. Horns imported to Europe by fictitious hunters and declared as part of legal hunting trophies were found to be sold on to buyers in Asia for traditional medicine purposes.[27][28] The Czech Environmental Inspectorate found a Vietnamese entity paid for Czech hunters to participate in rhino hunts, but was unable to find Czech hunters in South Africa with valid CITES permits.[29] The investigation's findings would lead to sweeping changes in EU import policies for wildlife trophies.[30] Czech authorities would later charge three Vietnamese individuals for their role in the smuggling ring.[31]

2014 United States Indictment

[edit]
Project Rhino memorial to rhinos killed by poachers near St Lucia Estuary, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

In October 2014, Groenewald and his brother Janneman Groenewald were indicted on 18 counts of conspiracy and fraud related to illegal rhino hunting by the United States Department of Justice.[32][33][34] Prior to the indictment, the Justice Department investigated the Groenewald's and Out of Africa safari company under "Operation Preposterous", which looked into illegal hunting of live rhinoceros in South Africa. The operation outlined a multitude of charges and activities that took place between 2005 and 2010.[32][35] The Justice Department disclosed the brothers sold numerous illegal rhinoceros hunts to American hunters under the guise to cull "problem" animals.[36] The horns would later be sold on the black market.[37][38][39] The Groenewalds were subsequently charged with multiple Lacey act violations, conspiracy, mail fraud and bank fraud.[7] U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. said of the brothers,

"These defendants tricked, lied and defrauded American citizens in order to profit from these illegal rhinoceros hunts...Not only did they break South African laws, but they laundered their ill-gotten gains through our banks here in Alabama. We will not allow United States' citizens to be used as a tool to destroy a species that is virtually harmless to people or other animals."[36]

At the time of the indictment, both Groenewald brothers were living in South Africa and would need to be extradited to the United States.[40] In 2015, the United States reportedly was attempting to extradite the brothers to the United States for trial.[41] In 2017, the Dawie and Janneman Groenewald were apprehended on an international arrest warrant by Interpol in Polokwane.[42] The brothers successfully raised bail and the extradition hearing was postponed.[1] Dawie Groenewald's lawyer argued extradition laws required South Africa to finalize his client's pending cases prior to extradition. At the time, South Africa had not yet tried Groenewald for the 1,872 pending charges in his 2010 case.[1]

Example of rhino horn seized by the Hong Kong government. Groenewald is alleged to have sold rhino horn abroad, in violation of CITES.

While on bail, Dawie Groenewald continued to operate as a safari guide and big game hunter in South Africa and abroad.[43] Janneman Groenewald died in December 2018.[44]

Legalised rhino horn markets

[edit]

In late 2017, South Africa's Department for Environmental Affairs removed a moratorium that banned domestic trade in rhino horn.[45] Conservation groups highlighted the policy was due to intense pressure by domestic game farm owners.[46][47]

That year, a portrait of Groenewald by Brent Stirton was part of the winning submission of the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photojournalist Story Award.[48] The portrait was included in a series by Stirton on the lives and trafficking of rhinos in South Africa.[49] Groenewald's inclusion was due to his advocacy towards legalising the trade in rhino horn.[50]

2021 charges

[edit]

While on bail in July 2021, Groenewald and fellow game farmer Schalk Abraham Steyn were arrested in South Africa for the illegal possession and transport of 19 rhino horns.[51][52] The value of the horns was estimated at R2.6 million. The pair were later released on bail.[53][54] The case was set for trial in 2024. It was later delayed.[55]

Trial delays and continued hunting

[edit]

Groenewald and his co-defendants have not yet been brought to trial for the more than 1,800 charges brought against them in 2010. After numerous delays, in March 2024, the National Prosecuting Authority in Limpopo, scheduled the trial to be held in October and November 2024.[56] That October, the court announced the case would be delayed once again. The court reported Groenewald and his co-defendants are scheduled to stand trial in the Limpopo High Court on February 9, 2026. The charges involve illegally hunting rhinos, dealing in rhino horn, racketeering and money laundering.[14] Should the trial take place, it will be nearly 16 years on from the group's original arrest.

In July 2025, animal rights NGOs and community members from Tobere, Kaputura and Kycia villages in Botswana called for answers after Groenewald and his company were annoucned as beneficiaries of a hunting quota by the Tcheku Community Trust. Advocates called the provision of hunting privileges to an individual currently awaiting trial for wildlife trafficking charges called into question the governance of the Tcheku Community Trust.[57]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Bloch, Simon (June 23, 2017). "Alleged rhino poaching brothers win bail, vow to fight US extradition". News24. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  2. ^ "Rhino Poaching in South Africa". IWB. 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  3. ^ a b c d Beeld, Julian Rademeyer and Marietie Louw-Carstens. "Rhinos: Controversial safari operator held". News24. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  4. ^ a b bchanekom (2010-09-21). "Rhino 'masterminds'". The Witness. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  5. ^ a b c d Graham, David V. (2010-10-08). "South African safari operator with Flint ties arrested on rhino poaching charges". mlive. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  6. ^ a b c "Shoot to Kill". Newsweek. 2006-01-12. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  7. ^ a b Udell, Richard A. (September 2015). "Operation Crash: Shutting Down the Illicit Trade in Rhino Horns and Elephant Ivory". United States Attorneys' Bulletin. 63 (5): 41–53 – via United States Justice Department.
  8. ^ a b c Ndlovu, Ray; Groenewald, Yolandi (2010-10-08). "Zanu-PF poaching links exposed". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  9. ^ "Hunters distance themselves from Groenewalds". News24. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  10. ^ a b Shryock, John (2010-04-20). "S. African sentenced after illegal import of leopard to Ala". www.wsfa.com. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  11. ^ Office (USAO), U. S. Attorney's. "U.S. Attorney's Office - U.S. Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  12. ^ a b c d Conniff, Richard. "Defending the Rhino". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  13. ^ "Rhino go to poaching suspect". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  14. ^ a b Viljoen, Barry (2024-10-11). "Dawie Groenewald to court in Feb 2026 for rhino poaching". Review. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  15. ^ "Minister Edna Molewa joined by Security Cluster Ministers highlights progress in the fight against rhino poaching | Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment". www.dffe.gov.za. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  16. ^ Groenewald, Yolandi (2010-09-24). "Farmers help to catch poachers". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  17. ^ "How the Groenewald Gang Made Millions off Illicit Wildlife Trafficking". Financial Transparency Coalition. 2013-01-30. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  18. ^ Moloto, Moloko; Smilie, Shaun (May 10, 2012). "Dead rhinos 'hidden' in butchery". iol.co.za. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  19. ^ "R55m seized from suspected poachers". News24. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  20. ^ Lange, Ilse de (2018-04-21). "'Groenewald Gang' to go on trial only in 2021". The Citizen. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  21. ^ "Alleged rhino poachers out on bail". Times Live South Africa. September 22, 2010.
  22. ^ "Rhino Horn: The Most Valuable Appendage In Illegal Wildlife Trade". NPR. 2016-10-06. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  23. ^ "R55m seized from suspected poachers". News24. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  24. ^ Hayes, Kevin (2012-05-09). "South Africa seizes $7M in assets from alleged rhino poachers - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  25. ^ Moloto, Kristen Van Schie And Moloko (1992-11-10). "New twist in rhino sale saga". IOL. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  26. ^ "Minister Edna Molewa briefs the media on Cabinet approval of the rhino trade proposal for consideration at CITES CoP17 in 2016 | Department of Environmental Affairs". July 3, 2013. Archived from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  27. ^ "The Czech Rhino Connection: a Case Study of Vietnamese Wildlife Trafficking Networks' Operations Across Central Europe". ouci.dntb.gov.ua. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  28. ^ Merwe, Marelise Van Der (2016-07-12). "Poacher's paradise: The terrifying underworld behind rhino horn trade". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  29. ^ "Operation RHINO - case of "pseudo-hunting" - seizure of 22 rhino horns" (PDF). CITES News Czech Republic. 105. Prague: Czech Environmental Inspectorate. September 2013.
  30. ^ Bloch, Simon. "SA scores as EU plugs hunting loophole". News24. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  31. ^ "Czechmate for Horn Smuggling Pipeline". Times Live. January 9, 2015.
  32. ^ a b "Office of Public Affairs | Owners of Safari Company Indicted for Illegal Rhino Hunts | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  33. ^ Moseley, Brandon (2014-10-28). "Rhino Poachers Indicted in Montgomery". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  34. ^ "U.S. Indictment Accuses South African Brothers of Trafficking Rhino Horns". Animals. 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  35. ^ "U.S. Indictment Accuses South African Brothers of Trafficking Rhino Horns". Animals. 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  36. ^ a b Roney, Marty. "Man with Autauga County ties accused of illegal rhino hunts". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  37. ^ https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/press-releases/attachments/2014/10/23/rhino_indictment.pdf
  38. ^ "US Indicts 2 South African Brothers for Selling Illegal Rhino Hunts". Voice of America. 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  39. ^ Cason, Mike (2014-10-24). "Scheme to sell illegal rhino hunts, sell horns on black market based in Alabama, prosecutors say". al. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  40. ^ "Brothers chargedd in rhino hunting scheme". Burlington Times News Newspaper Archive. Burlington, North Carolina: Tribune News Service. October 26, 2014. pp. A8. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
  41. ^ "Cecil case charts new territory for US wildlife law". Otago Daily Times Online News. 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  42. ^ Bloch, Simon (June 22, 2017). "Interpol arrests two Limpopo brothers for fraud, money laundering". News24. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  43. ^ Pinnock, Don (2019-06-19). "Killing elephants in Botswana is a vote-catcher that could go badly wrong". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  44. ^ Louw-Carstens, Marietie. "Skok ná skielike dood van bekende in jagkringe". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 2025-05-07.
  45. ^ Nuijten, R. J. M.; Nguyen, T.; Eikelboom, J. A. J.; Drori, O. (2024-10-11). "Legal rhino horn trade: A thorny proposition". Science. 386 (6718): 157–158. Bibcode:2024Sci...386..157N. doi:10.1126/science.ads5155. PMID 39388577.
  46. ^ "TRAFFIC | Rhino horn trade". www.traffic.org. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  47. ^ "South African court lifts ban on domestic rhino horn trade". wwf.panda.org (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  48. ^ "The rhino-horn farmer | Wildlife Photographer of the Year | Natural History Museum". Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  49. ^ "Wildlife Photographer of the Year: the brutal reality of rhino poaching | Natural History Museum". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  50. ^ "Inside the Dark World of the Rhino Horn Trade". Magazine. 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  51. ^ Viljoen, Barry (2024-03-08). "14 years on: Trial date for Dawie Groenewald, co-accused". Review. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  52. ^ Sadike, Mashudu (2023-05-31). "Game farmer, businessman caught with rhino horns get bail". Cape Argus. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  53. ^ Sadike, Mashudu (July 27, 2021). "Game farmer, businessman caught with rhino horns get bail". iol.co.za. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  54. ^ SEEJ-AFRICA (2021-07-28). "Nineteen Rhino Horn Seized – Dawie Groenewald Arrested Again, Makes Bail Again". Seej Africa. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  55. ^ "Rhino kingpins court case postponed in Nelspruit - SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader". SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa\'s news leader. 19 June 2024.
  56. ^ Viljoen, Barry (2024-03-08). "14 years on: Trial date for Dawie Groenewald, co-accused". Review. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  57. ^ "Storm erupts over hunting quota linked to convicted wildlife trafficker | Sunday Standard". Sunday Standard. 2025-07-04. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  58. ^ "Rhino Poaching in South Africa". IWB. 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
  59. ^ "Inside the Deadly Rhino Horn Trade, Bryan Christy". Save the Elephants. 2016-09-30. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dawie_Groenewald&oldid=1299626470"