A critical analysis of the relationship between the State and wildlife crime. Case: Rhino poaching in South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: AbstractSouth Africa is undoubtedly one of the most vulnerable countries in the world when it comesto wildlife crime. Regardless of the increased focus on combating wildlife crime and curbingdemand, poaching numbers continue to rise in South Africa. In order to understand why thiscrime is so difficult to tackle, there is a need not only to examine the sophisticated methods ofwildlife crime groups but also the environment in which this practice breeds. Reviewing theliterature on transnational organised crime reveals significant factors about what kinds ofclimates are specifically favourable for the operations of criminal syndicates. The study thenwill explore which of these elements can be identified in South Africa and whether this canprovide more insight into the challenges that South Africa is facing regarding the poachingcrisis. The study argues that internal factors such as weak institutions, unemployment andpoverty, among other things, are the driving factors behind sustaining wildlife crime in SouthAfrica, but acknowledges that several external challenges impede anti-poaching efforts andsuccesses. This study analyses what enables wildlife crime to operate in South Africa usingInternational Relations and Transnational Organised Crime theory as the theoreticalfoundation. The field is not very well explored within traditional IR theory. Hence, this studyattempts to demonstrate the relevance of wildlife crime to IR as it is transnational by natureand poses challenges to the international system as a whole. It further argues that IR scholarsshould embrace and acknowledge phenomena such as wildlife crime, the increasedsignificance of criminal networks and their impact on nature, people, states and powerstructures.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University