African Wildlife & Environment Issue 82

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

A TRIBUTE TO ANTON MZIMBA

Bryan Havemann

man. In a management position, no matter where you are, you are only as strong as the staff who will be supporting you. In isolation, it is difficult to manage a reserve the size of Timbavati, and because of the This is one of the hardest articles I have ever had to write. A man who I worked with on the frontline, who was a mentor and a dear friend, has had his life cut short by murderous scum. Late one afternoon in July 2022, the head of ranger services from the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, was at home with his wife and children. Some men entered his yard and spoke to his son asking for some water. Anton came to investigate the voices and was shot at point blank range in the chest. His wife who came to see what the commotion was, got shot twice in her stomach. This was all done in front of the children. The men then fled, leaving behind severely traumatised children and their mother who was bleeding and fearing the worst, after being shot.

Anton lay in the dirt with his life blood staining the soil red and not able to do anything, because he was dead. Just a minute earlier the Mzimba family was happy and content with a bright future. In an instant a giant of a man had been cut down by murderous cowards. Anton’s wife was hospitalised and has made a full recovery. In the fight against the poaching of rhino, which is run by crime syndicates, the corruption runs deep in both the private and government sectors. Anton Mzimba was an unshakeable barrier to poachers who had evil intentions. His integrity could never be questioned and his belief in what he was doing was without compromise. This was a problem to those who wanted to exploit field rangers who could be corrupted. Anton therefore had to pay the ultimate sacrifice for what he believed in, and was taken out. I first met Anton when I was appointed as the general manager/warden of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve at the beginning of 2016. After that first handshake, after he had come to attention and saluted me first, I knew that here was a very special

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