Madikwe reserve and the normalisation of killing elephants

Daily Maverick · May 08, 2026 · 1683 words · By Don Pinnock

Animal rights Wildlife Conservation Ethics Government accountability

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-08-madikwe-reserve-and-the-norma…

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Loaded Language 90% confidence

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Doubt 70% confidence

Questioning the credibility of a source or claim without providing evidence.

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Appeal to Anger 80% confidence

Provoking outrage to bypass rational evaluation of an argument.

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Slippery Slope 70% confidence

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fact_checkFact-Check Results

14 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 4

info Single Source 3

check_circle Corroborated 3

verified Verified By Reference 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

verified

“The EMP was approved by the minister in March 2023.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While evidence confirms the existence of the Madikwe Nature Reserve and general elephant management issues, no provided source specifically mentions the approval of an EMP in March 2023.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Pilanesberg National Park is located north of Rustenburg in the North West Province of South Africa. The park owes its existence to a rehabilitation project which started in 1979, and the subseque…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilanesberg_National_Park

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Rustenburg (; Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈrœstənbœrχ], Afrikaans and Dutch: City of Rest) is a city at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West pr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rustenburg

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Madikwe Game Reserve is a protected area in South Africa and was named after the Madikwe or Marico River, on whose basin it is located. It comprises 750 km2 (290 sq mi) of bushland north of the small …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madikwe_Game_Reserve

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

“Prior to carrying out any restricted activities involving elephants, the Madikwe Game Reserve will still be required to apply for a permit in terms of section 57(1) of NEMBA [National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act ].”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim includes irrelevant results (Jennifer Aniston) and general information about protected areas, but does not confirm the specific permit requirement under section 57(1) of NEMBA for Madikwe.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tufa is a variety of limestone formed when carbonate minerals precipitate out of water in unheated rivers or lakes. Geothermally heated hot springs sometimes produce similar (but less porous) carbonat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufa

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The protected areas of South Africa include national parks and marine protected areas managed by the national government, public nature reserves managed by provincial and local governments, and privat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_protected_areas_of_Sou…

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info

“Answers to questions submitted in Parliament to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp, confirmed the same position: “Culling is not routinely permitted and may only be considered under exceptional circumstances where all other management options have been exhausted and where such intervention is explicitly provided for within an approved EMP.”

SINGLE SOURCE

Evidence confirms Willie Aucamp is the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (appointed Nov 2025), but the specific quote regarding culling not being routinely permitted is not found in the provided search results.

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web search NEUTRAL — Willem Abraham Stephanus Aucamp is a South African politician who is the current Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, having been appointed in November 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Aucamp

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web search NEUTRAL — State of the environment report (SOER). e-Permitting Fishing Permit System.Environmental protection is not about creating unnecessary barriers to make it harder for businesses to operate, nor is it ab…
https://www.dffe.gov.za/speeches/aucamp_100daysinoffice2026

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web search NEUTRAL — Kind Attention: Minister Willie Aucamp. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.Good day, On behalf of the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Mr Willem Aucamp MP, I ackn…
https://www.animalvoice.org/minister-willie-aucamp

info

“When asked in the National Council of Provinces to provide details of all approvals given by him, his predecessor or his department for the culling or lethal removal of elephants, the minister answered: “No, no permit applications were received.””

SINGLE SOURCE

Evidence confirms Willie Aucamp is the Minister and was in the National Council of Provinces, but the specific answer regarding the lack of permit applications for culling is not present in the provided evidence.

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web search NEUTRAL — Statement delivered by Willie Aucamp, update the media on the Kruger floods and recovery fund.The Kruger National Park is not just a conservation landscape – it is an economic lifeline for the region,…
https://www.gov.za/news/speeches/minister-willie-aucamp-upda…

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web search NEUTRAL — We are also a nation that is working hard to get this country to where it needs to be. We heard recently that South Africa has formally been removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey li…
https://www.dffe.gov.za/speeches/aucamp_100daysinoffice2026

info

“the minister then added: “No applications were rejected from 1 January 2025 to date for the culling or lethal removal of elephants.””

SINGLE SOURCE

Evidence confirms the Minister's identity and tenure (starting Nov 2025), but the specific statement about rejected applications from January 1, 2025, is not corroborated by the provided evidence.

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web search NEUTRAL — Aucamp’s Denial and Counter-Complaint. Willie Aucamp has hit back hard, rejecting all accusations against him and his family.This is not the first clash between the two. Just weeks before George’s aff…
https://centralnews.co.za/political-storm-da-axed-minister-d…

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web search NEUTRAL — Dear Minister Aucamp, I refer to my email of 17 November 2025 regarding the clarification in the form of GC26 (Para 35) of the Child Rights Treaty which stipulates that no child may be exposed to the …
https://www.animalvoice.org/minister-willie-aucamp

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“Parliamentary hearings in June last year revealed a crisis years in the making: more than 1,600 elephants in a fenced reserve originally intended for far fewer.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the elephant population at Madikwe is between 1,500 and 1,700, and Africa Geographic specifically mentions the urgency of the situation in June 2025 (though the claim says 'June last year', the population numbers are corroborated).

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web search NEUTRAL — A parliamentary system is a form of government based on the fusion of powers. In this system the head of government (chief executive) derives their democratic legitimacy from their ability to command …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_system

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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 17, 2026 · Parliamentary system, democratic form of government in which the party with the greatest representation in the parliament (legislature) forms the government, its leader becoming prime m…
https://www.britannica.com/topic/parliamentary-system

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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 7, 2026 · In a parliamentary system, the executive draws its power from the legislature — here's how that shapes the way governments form and govern. A parliamentary system places the legislature …
https://legalclarity.org/how-does-a-parliamentary-system-wor…

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“According to testimony presented to Parliament, a long-term preventative measure – immunocontraception – was offered at no cost to Madikwe as far back as 2020.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that free immunocontraception was offered by Humane World for Animals, specifically mentioning the year 2020.

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web search NEUTRAL — Source: free-ranging african elephant immunocontraception report. The number of elephants in the contraception program has more than doubled over the past five years, now including provincial and nati…
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-southern-afric…

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web search NEUTRAL — Madikwe’s elephant population has reached 1,500–1,700. The urgency of these questions was underscored in June 2025, when Africa Geographic revealed that trophy hunting may soon return to Madikwe.
https://africageographic.com/stories/the-madikwe-elephant-di…

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web search NEUTRAL — On World Elephant Day, Humane World for Animals spotlights proven strategies— from immunocontraception to coexistence campaigns— that support species survival while helping elephants and people live s…
https://www.humaneworld.org/en/news/reducing-human-elephant-…

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“after bureaucratic delays, an MOU was eventually signed with the NGO Humane World for Animals only in 2024.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources confirm that an MOU was signed with the NGO Humane World for Animals in 2024 after bureaucratic delays.

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web search NEUTRAL — However, after bureaucratic delays, an MOU was eventually signed with the NGO Humane World for Animals only in 2024. But, it was never implemented.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-08-madikwe-r…

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web search NEUTRAL — In fact, a memorandum of understanding was signed and paid for by an NGO to roll out a contraception programme, but that has been flatly disregarded. Translocation opportunities have been underexplore…
https://www.africanelephantjournal.com/killing-without-proof…

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web search NEUTRAL — Repeated offers of free immunocontraception by Humane World for Animals - in 1998, 2020 and again in 2023 - were ignored by NWPTB without explanation, despite there being a signed memorandum ...
https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/north-west-parks-shows-…

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“The failure by North West Parks & Tourism Board (NWPTB) to implement the MOU has since resulted in the avoidable births of at least 400 elephants”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided to support or refute the specific claim that 400 avoidable births occurred due to the failure to implement the MOU.

help

“It failed to issue the Provincial Task Team report by the due date of November 2025”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided regarding a Provincial Task Team report or a deadline of November 2025.

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“Officials of the NWPTB even went on a junket to the Dallas Safari Club Convention in the US “to explore possibilities”.”

PENDING

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“In 2025, the NWPTB also issued a tender to trophy hunt elephants, black rhino and buffalo.”

PENDING

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“After uproar from concessionaires, the tender was formally withdrawn.”

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“A 2021 analysis by Professor Rob Slotow and colleagues argues that “the current culling method is likely to be inhumane, and potentially inconsistent with the Constitution”.”

PENDING

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.

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Madikwe reserve and the normalisation of killing elephants

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