An Open Letter to the Honourable Edna Molewa,
Minister of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs
Rhino horn worth more than cocaine per ounce
Dear Madam
I am writing this letter to urge you to open the trade in rhino horn.
If you would do this, there are financially powerful individuals in the private sector and pharmaceutical companies able and willing to clone rhino horn and deliver it into the Asian markets.
However to clone and produce rhino horn is a considerable financial investment. No one will make this investment until an open market, fair and free trade scenario is in place.
The rhino war will be won or lost in South Africa. Other African countries lost their rhino a long time ago. Therefore the power is in your hands as the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs in the South African Cabinet.
CITES is far too inflexible to accommodate the changing dynamics in the complex rhino crisis. We cannot afford to wait three years for the next CITES decision. The rhino crisis needs bold, decisive and visionary decision making now! To delay will cost us hundreds more rhino. To continue the war will cost us millions of rands.
I urge you to take the rhino horn market away from the criminal element and put it in a controlled market force environment in South Africa.
Tread Lightly on the Earth
John Varty
Co-owner Londolozi Game Reserve
Founder Londolozi Production
Founder Tiger Canyons, South Africa
