Lengthy Jail Term for Skukuza Poacher

11 March 2025

Lengthy Jail Term for Skukuza Poacher

The Skukuza Regional Court has sentenced Silas Mathebula (38), a Mozambican national, to 30 years of direct imprisonment for poaching-related offences committed in 2019. Mathebula was convicted of multiple charges, including trespassing, conspiracy to commit a crime, killing three rhinos, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of a hunting rifle, and possession of ammunition.

On 23 November 2019, a section ranger patrolling the Malelane Section spotted a suspicious vehicle carrying five occupants. Upon stopping and searching the vehicle, the ranger discovered a rifle, six fresh rhino horns, and ammunition. All five suspects were arrested. They were identified as Zwelithini Mathebula, Lucky Mhlongo, Teddy Dlamini, Silas Mathebula, and Forster Lubisi, who was later killed by crocodiles while attempting to escape.

Mathebula and another accused, Lucky Hlungwane, absconded after being granted bail. However, Mathebula was rearrested while committing a similar offence in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal. He was subsequently transferred to Skukuza to stand trial. Meanwhile, the trial against the remaining three accused proceeded, and they were convicted and sentenced by the same court.

During the trial, State Prosecutor Lot Mgiba presented compelling evidence, including testimony from the ranger who apprehended Mathebula, DNA analysis confirming that the rhino horns found in the suspects' vehicle matched the carcasses of three poached rhinos and ballistic evidence proving that bullets recovered from the rhino carcasses were fired from the firearm found in the suspects' possession.  As part of the sentencing, the court declared Mathebula unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.

Poaching remains a serious threat to biodiversity and endangered species, with devastating long-term consequences. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes this sentence and reaffirms its commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting South Africa’s wildlife for future generations.

Issued by: 

Monica Nyuswa
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Director of Public Prosecutions, Mpumalanga
Tel: 013 045 0625 / 076 485 5446
Email: mnyuswa@npa.gov.za