Agreement Mkhari 
The Skukuza Regional Court has sentenced local poacher Elias Sithole to 11 years behind bars for poaching-related crimes committed in the Kruger National Park. The ruling was handed down on Thursday, 10 April 2025.
South African National Parks (SANParks) welcomed the sentence, saying it is a step forward in the fight against poaching.
Sithole was arrested during a special anti-poaching operation on 23 January 2020. Dog handlers from the Kruger and Phabeni Gates noticed a suspicious vehicle on a gravel road between Skukuza and Pretoriuskop. When they tried to stop it, the driver sped off, leading to a short chase. Two men jumped out and fled into the bush, while the driver stayed in the car.
Inside the vehicle, rangers found a hunting rifle, ammunition, and knives. The driver claimed he was being hijacked by the two men who ran away. However, further investigation led to Sithole being charged and later found guilty on six counts, including possession of an unlicensed and prohibited firearm, conspiracy to commit a crime, and possession of dangerous weapons.
Sithole’s sentences for some charges will run concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of 11 years.
