National Rhino poaching inquiry grinds to a halt as Mahlobo’s ‘friend’ vanishes BL PREMIUM

The Hawks inquiry into State Security Minister David Mahlobo’s alleged association with a suspected Chinese rhino poaching syndicate kingpin has ground to a halt. In November‚ Al Jazeera flighted a documentary on transnational poaching syndicates‚ which included mentions of Mahlobo’s alleged friendship with Guan Jiang Guang. In the documentary‚ Guan tells an undercover cameraman of his links to Mahlobo‚ through the minister’s visit to his massage spa in Mbombela‚ in Mpumalanga. Since the airing of the documentary‚ Guan‚ who the Hawks had been investigating for more than a year‚ has vanished. Hawks spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi‚ when asked about the investigation on Thursday‚ replied: "Investigation? What investigation? No case docket has been registered. It is an inquiry and it is up to us whether we close it or not. "What must we investigate? Where are the elements of a crime? How is a friendship a crime?" he asked.