By OBAKENG MAJE
3 November 2025- The police in Northern Cape said illegal hunting poses a serious threat to wildlife populations, contributes to biodiversity loss and can result in significant economic losses for the hunting industry. The police said on 1 November 2025, police in Loxton received information from community members regarding a suspicious vehicle, a navy blue Ford Bakkie, traveling on the R63 Road between Loxton and Carnarvon.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said the police received a tip-off regarding the vehicle matching the description. Shemane said the vehicle was stationary along the roadside when the police tactically approached it.
“Upon inspection, the police saw blood on the load bin and discovered eight slaughtered steenbok and two slaughtered rabbits. Knives covered in blood and two dogs were also found in the back of the bakkie.
“The three men aged 19, 40, and 53, could not provide a satisfactory explanation for possessing the animals and failed to produce any valid hunting permits. They were subsequently arrested for illegal hunting,” he said.
Shemane further said the knives and the vehicle were confiscated as they are believed to have been used in the commission of the crime.
Meanwhile, the Pixley Ka Seme District Police Commissioner, Major General Nomana Mtukushe, commended the police for their swift response, which led to the arrests and expressed gratitude to the community members for their unwavering support in the fight against crime.
The Guardian 