The 2008 Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Game Auction held at the Sibaya Casino near Durban on Saturday 17
May 2008 was a resounding success with excellent prices being paid for most species on offer.
Every one of the 227 lots were sold to buyers from all over South Africa.
The Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Game Auction is rated by the SA game industry as providing the best
quality of game in the country.
EKZNW CEO Mr Khulani Mkhize was extremely pleased with the outcome of the auction.
"The excellent result of our auction demonstrates clearly the faith our buyers have in the
quality of our game and the professional manner in which it is captured and handled by our Game
Capture Unit, which must surely rate as one of the best units of its kind in the world," he said.
"We believe that the high quality of our game is a significant factor in keeping the genetic
make-up of our buyer’s own stocks very good," he added.
"In the interests of good biodiversity conservation this means that our auction is
contributing in a positive manner to maintaining the quality of South Africa’s wild game stocks on
private land," he said.
"The KZN Nature Conservation Board Chairman Dr Patrick Sokhela, in his opening remarks, noted
that it is important that it be known that the game auction is primarily a game management tool –
albeit one with a healthy financial spinoff," he added.
"What we earn from our game sales contributes significantly to our success as a nature
conservation agency," he said.
"In these days of critical examination of the manner in which public bodies earn money and also
dispose of assets, it is quite important that this aspect be recognized," said Mr Mkhize.
"We all know that difficult financial times lie ahead, and on behalf of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
and the KZN Nature Conservation Board I would like to thank our buyers for their generosity and
continuing support for the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Game Auction," he added.
The top price for a white rhino was R530 000.00 for a female and calf combination.
Other interesting prices were dassies – maximum of R450 each, hippo – R18 250 each and the
average price for white rhino was R252 973 with a maximum price paid of R470 000. The total value
of game sold was R12,061,600.
