The four men who trapped at least six impala against a fence and bludgeoned them to death in the Skukuza laundry yard have been fired. An internal investigation by the Kruger National Park resulted in their dismissal on May 19, 2005.
The men are still facing poaching charges in the White River magistrate's court, due to be heard on June 15. Three technical services employees and a general worker at the laundry deliberately left the gate to the laundry yard open.
When impala entered the area, the men then herded them into a corner and proceeded to beat them to death with blunt instruments. The animals were unable to escape as the fence is three metres high.
The men smuggled the meat into their hostel, but were later caught by the park's law enforcement officials who handed them over to the South African Police Service. The park's executive director, Bandile Mkhize, spoke out against the crime.
"The intense cruelty of the incident horrified us, which is why we responded so harshly and brought the perpetrators to book and we now look forward to the results of the court case. The Kruger National Park vows to take swift action against anyone caught poaching, whether they are staff members or not.'
Impala [Aepyceros melampus]. This is the most common antelope of the bushveld regions of South Africa. A very graceful, rufous-fawn antelope...