Rodney Landela, 45, a senior ranger at South Africa's Kruger National Park who was once tipped to become its first Black head ranger, has been jailed for 10 years for rhino poaching. The conviction and sentence, handed down at Skukuza Regional Court, mark a dramatic fall for a man affectionately known as the "Crown Prince of the Kruger."
Landela was arrested in 2016 after being caught shooting and dehorning a white rhino he was responsible for protecting. The case took a decade to conclude, during which time he and co-accused Kenneth Mochocho, 52, a Kruger state wildlife vet, remained on bail. Both were convicted on two counts each of killing an endangered rhino and carrying a firearm with intent to commit crime.
Betrayal of trust at the Kruger
Landela's arrest shattered his expected appointment as the first Black Head Ranger of the iconic park, which was established in 1926. All six previous head rangers had been white. In 2021, the Kruger instead appointed Cathy Dreyer, 48, as its first female and first Black Head Ranger, replacing retiring Ken Maggs.
Prosecutor Mr Lot Mgiba told the court how, in July 2016, a patrolling ranger heard three gunshots and raced toward the sound. Ranger Lucky Ndlovu saw two men jump into a white Toyota Hilux and flee. A Kruger National Park helicopter landed in front of the vehicle, and the occupants were stopped at gunpoint. Ndlovu was stunned to see his superior, Landela, climb out along with Mochocho.
Evidence and conviction
Landela claimed he was in the Kingfisherspruit area, heard gunshots, and was looking for phone signal to report a poaching incident. However, rangers testified they saw two men running from the dehorned rhino to Mochocho's vehicle. GPS evidence showed the vehicle parked near the carcass for 25 minutes. Trackers followed a trail from where the Toyota was seen to the freshly shot and dehorned rhino. Ballistic tests on Landela's .375 hunting rifle proved it fired the bullets.
A financial expert told the court that Landela, who earned R19,000 (£870) a month, had R1 million (£46,000) deposited in his bank between 2013 and 2016 that he could not account for, including a single day payment of R85,000 (£3,900). DNA from bloodstains on Landela's clothes and an axe, and from the vet's vehicle and jacket, linked both men to the shooting.
Fall from grace and reaction
Dr Xolani Funda, South African National Parks (SANParks) head of integrity, said Landela was held in "extremely high esteem" and was considered the likely candidate to become Head Ranger. Regional Magistrate Mbogeni Ngobeni dismissed the not guilty pleas, saying the State had proved its case beyond all doubt.
Both men received the 10-year minimum sentence for killing a rhino and four years for using a firearm, to run concurrently, with no parole. Lawyers for both said they intended to appeal. The Mpumalanga Asset Forfeiture Unit also submitted an application to investigate confiscating any unexplained assets belonging to Landela and Mochocho.
A senior ranger with over 20 years of experience, speaking anonymously, said: "There could not have been a person in a better position to be recruited. His inside information was priceless to a syndicate as he knew all the details of the anti-poaching operations that were being planned and ongoing deployments of the rangers. All due to greed."
Former SANParks boss Mr Fundisile Mketeni said: "It is indeed sad and terrible to hear one of our own has been arrested for rhino-poaching. These were the men who are tasked and trusted with leading the anti-poaching operations in the Park but we do however applaud the courage of those rangers who arrested them."
Andrew Campbell, CEO of the Game Rangers Association of Africa, of which Landela was a member, said after his arrest: "The man is a total disgrace. He was poaching the very animals he had a duty to protect whilst heading for the very top but ultimately he betrayed us all and he lost the ranger's key value which is integrity." Landela was immediately expelled from the association.
A SANParks spokesman said: "We view this as particularly serious as both individuals were entrusting with protecting South Africa's wildlife but instead abused their positions of trust. A fine or a non-custodial sentence would not have served the interests of justice particularly given the offences were motivated by greed rather than need. The sentence sends a strong message that rhino poaching and the betrayal of public trust by conservation officials will not be tolerated and they will face serious consequences."
In the last 10 years, some 40 Kruger game rangers have been arrested and sentenced for rhino poaching, with others still awaiting trial. Poaching gangs are known to prey on rangers earning £17.50 to £25 a day, offering up to a year's salary in cash for rhino herd locations, or threatening their families. Landela's conviction marks a rare case of someone of his rank being caught and convicted of poaching in the Kruger.
