Pretoria – The six people arrested by elite crime busters, the Hawks, for being part of a rhino trafficking syndicate involving millions of rand, have been granted bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
The accused who were arrested earlier Tuesday, 19 August 2025, in Sunnyside were named in court as:
- Former founder and owner of the Platinum Rhino Conservation Enterprise83-year-old John Frederick Hume,
- Transport Maintenance Manager, 63-year-old Clive John Mervan Melville,
- Practicing attorney, 50-year-old Izak Hermanus Du Toit,
- Director of a non-profit organisation, 58-year-old Elizabeth Catharina van Niekerk
- Insurance Broker and part-time farmer, 37-year-old Mattheus Hendrikus Wessels Poggenpoel, and
- Game Reserve Manager 52-year-old Johannes Abraham Hennop
The accused collectively face a total of 55 charges of multiple counts of racketeering, fraud, contravention of the National Environmental Management Act, contravention of contravention of Riotous Assemblies Act, theft, and money laundering.
It is alleged that between 2017 and 2024, the accused operated an international rhino horn trafficking syndicate and defrauded the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment.
RELATED: Hawks Smash International Rhino Horn Syndicate, Arrest 6 In Sunnyside – The Bulrushes
They allegedly obtained permits to trade rhino horn locally, while intending to channel the horns into illegal international markets in Southeast Asia.
The fraudulent scheme involved 964 rhino horns with an estimated value of R250 million.
After intensive investigations by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (Better known as the Hawks) Wildlife Trafficking Section of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit, the six accused handed themselves over at the Pretoria Central Police Station earlier today, where they were formally arrested.
During bail proceedings, they all asked to be released on bail because they stated that they were not a flight risk and had cooperated with the police investigations.
Accused number two, Melville, disclosed to the court that he has a 2019 conviction for fraud and possession, and transporting Rhino horns. Melville was fine for the offence.
Accused number five, Poggenpoel, also disclosed to the court that in 2009 he was convicted for possession of a Rhino horn, and paid an admission of guilt fine of R2 500.
Poggenpoel also disclosed that he has a pending case regarding ammunition that was not locked away in a safe and possessing scheduled medicine without a permit.
In that matter, Poggenpoel will appear in the Winburg Magistrate’s Court on 17 September 2025.
The state, Advocate Patsy Jacobs, read into the record an affidavit by the investigating officer, Edward Du Plessis, saying the State did not oppose bail as the accused were not flight risks, their addresses had been verified, and they had cooperated with investigators.
The State, however, requested strict bail conditions.
The court granted all the accused bail.
Hume was granted R100 000 bail, Melville and Van Niekerk were each granted R10 000 bail, while Hermanus Du Toit, Poggenpoel, and Hennop were each granted R20 00 bail.
The court also imposed the following conditions:
- All accused must surrender their passports and may not apply for new travel documents while the matter is pending.
- They may not interfere with investigations, tamper with evidence, or influence witnesses.
- They must not commit any offences while on bail.
- They must report to their nearest police station once a week.
National Prosecuting Authority Gauteng Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the matter was adjourned to 9 December 2025.
