96 unanswered questions for Selomie Maritz of Palala Rhino Sanctuary and Ubumanzi Game Reserve and Lodge

Taken from the notes of “If you have been banned from Palala Rhino .…” , where you may follow discussions pertaining to this problem.

 

Questions pertaining to your sale of a rhino to alleged rhino poaching kingpin, Dawie Groenewald:

 

1.  In your public apology and explanation for selling your rhino to Dawie Groenewald, you initially gave no less than five reasons why you did it, first and foremost to get the entire process on film for the making of a documentary, as well as for the following reasons:

–        To bring “greater awareness and public outrage to the plight of rhinos”

–        To learn and “share the information, specifically to assist the investigators and prosecutors in his and other cases”

–        For “the opportunity to see him operate” and “to see how Karel Toet and Dawie operate together”

–        To “get behind these rhino poaching”

–        To “what a kind of person he is and if he keep his promises”

What was it that ultimately led you to selling your rhino to this man, who, prior to your arrangement, had been arrested for and continues to face criminal charges relating to his alleged masterminding of a major rhino poaching syndicate?

 

2.  If the Groenewald sale was done for any of the above-stated reasons, what useful and effective results did it yield?

 

3.  On what date did your commercial transaction with Groenewald take place and what was the date of the relocation of the rhino to his property?

 

4.  For how much money was your rhino sold to Groenewald?

 

5.  Please provide detailed accounting for how you’ve spent the money that was made from this sale.

 

6.  When you called attention to Walter Ward’s sale of several rhinos to Groenewald, why did you blatantly omit the fact that you yourself had recently sold a rhino to him?

 

7.  In your Facebook note, “Public Statement and Apology”, regarding the above-mentioned transaction, you stated that you planned to use the funds to buy a new rhino to replace the one you had sold to him, but it seems you never did. You have since asked the public for donations to purchase rhinos several times.  Why didn’t you use the money from the sale to do as you had said you would in July 2011?

 

8.  In fact, at the time you were requesting people to donate R2 million to purchase Walter Ward’s 9 rhinos to prevent them from being sold to Groenewald. Why did you not deduct the amount of money you had made from your recent sale to this man?

 

9.  Why were you more concerned about someone else’s rhinos being sold to him than you were about your own “beloved” bull that you had “gingerly offered” him only months prior?

 

10.  What is the current status of the rhino you sold to Groenewald?  Is it alive or dead?  If the status is unknown, why is that?

 

11.  In your public statement and apology, you made reference to the supposed documentary’s interviewing of John Hume.  What was his involvement in this commercial transaction you made to Groenewald?

 

12.  Why did you refer to your sale to him as “personal affairs” in you public statement and apology?

 

13.  Please explain Palala’s obvious use of (and connection to) a helicopter known to be owned by Dawie Groenewald, as is proven in Palala’s photos from the filming of Saving Rhino Phila on your property and posts on your Palala Facebook page.

 

14.  How many times has Palala used or arranged for others to use the helicopter owned by Dawie Groenewald? And for what purposes?

 

15.  When it was exposed that you had sold a rhino to Groenewald, you first claimed this act was done as part of filming for an upcoming documentary.  Then in your “Public Statement and Apology”, you initially explained that the footage would appear in a National Geographic documentary called Snare.  This story has changed several times since then, and you have publicly claimed that it was actually going to be part of a National Geographic documentary about Phila the rhino, as well as alternatively implying that the Groenewald sale footage would be part of a fictional film called Snare.  These were offered , in addition to your many other versions of the story.  Why has your story changed so many times?  What are the facts about the supposed footage obtained from your sale of a rhino to Groenewald?  Is there actual footage of this sale and when will see it?

 

16.  Who from National Geographic is overseeing this documentary?

 

17.  What is your ongoing relationship with this man?

 

 

 

Questions pertaining to filming for various movies, documentaries, and TV shows on Palala Rhino Sanctuary/Ubumanzi Game Reserve property:

 

18.  On what date(s) was the movie Snare filmed on the Palala Rhino Sanctuary/Ubumanzi Game Reserve’s property?

 

19.  Did you personally, Palala Rhino Sanctuary, and/or Ubumanzi Game Reserve and Lodge receive payment for your involvement in the filming of Snare?  If so, who received the compensation?  What was the amount paid?  And what was the money used for (in detail please), if it was given to Palala Rhino Sanctuary?

 

20.  Did you personally, Palala Rhino Sanctuary, and/or Ubumanzi Game Reserve and Lodge receive payment for your involvement in the filming of Saving Rhino Phila?  If so, who received the compensation?  What was the amount paid?  And what was the money used for (in detail please), if it was given to Palala Rhino Sanctuary?

 

21.  Did you personally, Palala Rhino Sanctuary, and/or Ubumanzi Game Reserve and Lodge receive payment for allowing the M-net soapie, The Wild, that was filmed on your property?  If so, who received the compensation?  What was the amount paid?  And what was the money used for (in detail please), if it was given to Palala Rhino Sanctuary?

 

22. Were Dr. Walter Ward’s rhino used in either the filming of Snare or Saving Rhino Phila?  If so, was Dr. Ward aware of this and give his permission?  If there was compensation, did Dr. Ward receive compensation for using his rhino in the film(s)?

 

Questions pertaining to seemingly unethical behavior exhibited by Selomie Maritz and Palala Rhino Sanctuary, as a whole:

 

23.  Does Ubumanzi Game Reserve (which is also home to Palala Rhino Sanctuary) offer hunting excursions to their lodge guests, or has it ever done so?

 

24.  How do you justify running a “charity organisation” (i.e. Palala Rhino Sanctuary) in conjunction with/in parallel to a for-profit business (i.e. Ubumanzi Game Reserve)?

 

25.  How do you justify the use of the word “sanctuary” in the name of your non-profit, when it is largely accepted and expected that “animal sanctuaries” do not ever buy, sell, or trade animals?  Also, how can it be a “sanctuary” if hunting takes place on the property?

 

26.  Have you ever traded opportunities to hunt game animals on your property in exchange for services rendered?  For example, a basic bathroom or French drain construction?

 

27.  In December 2011, did ANY of your Ubumanzi/Palala employees receive a paycheck for less than the salary due to them? If not, can you provide proof of this to be true?  If so, why did it happen and was/were the employee/s ever paid the amount owed to them?  If not in December, has this ever happened?

 

28.  Do you support the wearing of animal fur, as is indicated by a photo of you wearing what appears to be an authentic fur coat?

 

29.  On photos of alleged cycad poachers posted on the Palala Rhino Sanctuary Facebook page, why have you repeatedly allowed your supporters to assume that the subjects in the photos were actually rhino poachers, while failing to correct these assumptions at all in some cases and not until much later in others?  Why have you allowed hateful, violent, and even racist comments from your followers to remain on these photo posts?  Do you acknowledge the physically violent threats that have been laid against these people whose photos you’ve posted and claimed to be poachers, but who have most often not yet been proven guilty by the court of law for the allegations you make against them?

 

30.  How does Palala ensure that funds between Palala Rhino Sanctuary and Ubumanzi Game Reserve are not in any way co-mingled?  Please provide proof.

 

31.   Is Palala Rhino Sanctuary a registered NPO within South Africa? If so, what is their registration number?

 

32.  Why has Palala apparently criticised Dr. Cindy Harper on their Facebook page?  What is Palala’s official stance on Dr. Cindy Harper and her work with the DNA project?

 

 

 

Questions about your behavior and/or lack of response to valid and important questions posted on the Palala Rhino Sanctuary Facebook page:

 

33.  Why are people crucified for asking questions?

 

34.  Why are questions so often deleted and/or ignored?

 

35.  Why are no straight forward answers given to these questions?

 

36.  How do you justify your crude and spiteful responses (which are often deleted) to individuals who ask important and valid questions on the Palala Rhino Sanctuary page?

 

37.  Why do you repeatedly tell people to email if they have questions, instead of answering the questions in public where they are asked?

 

38.  Why are you so focused on the identity of the Facebook profiles that ask seemingly “hard” questions on the Palala Rhino Sanctuary page, as well as that of the admin of this page, when what is being posted (not who is asking) is what is truly important?

 

39.  How many people in total have been banned from the Palala Facebook page and what are the reasons for their banishments?  AS a page the names of banned people is easily available.

 

 

Questions about Palala Rhino Sanctuary’s “fundraisers” and solicitation of donations from the public:

 

40.  Why did you solicit for donations to buy Karen Trendler/Orphan Rhino Project’s rhino calves, without ever having discussed such an arrangement with Karen Trendler or the project?

 

41.  Palala Rhino Sanctuary’s “Save a Rhino, Hunt a Poacher” stickers are nearly identical to ones previously produced and distributed by Kruger2Canyon newspaper.  Has the newspaper agreed to your use and sale of these stickers, or in any way condoned or endorsed these activities?

 

 

 

Questions relating to your involvement with Dr. Walter Ward’s 9 rhinos:

 

42.  Was Walter Ward paying to you to keep his 9 rhinos on your property? And if so, how much (in total) did he pay you?  How was this money spent (in detail please) to help rhinos?

 

43.  On what date was Walter Ward’s initial 8 rhinos relocated to Palala Rhino Sanctuary?

 

44. On what date(s) was/were Walter Ward’s 9 rhinos relocated to John Hume’s property?

 

45.  You have publicly (via Facebook and media) solicited donations for the purchase of Walter Ward’s rhinos, claiming R2 million would be necessary to acquire them all.  Were any donations received for this purpose?  If so, how much money in total was donated?  Since none of the rhinos were ever purchased, what happened with the money that was donated for this purpose (a detailed account of the funds, please)?

 

 

 

Questions about Magoggo:

 

46.  On what date was Walter Ward’s other rhino, affectionately referred to by Palala as “Magoggo”, relocated to Palala Rhino Sanctuary?

 

47.  Please explain the discrepancies surrounding Magoggo and her death.  Where (i.e. on your property, John Hume’s, or at Walter Ward’s) did she die?

 

48.  On what date did she die?

 

49.  On what date was her body discovered?

 

50.  Was her death caused by or in any way related to the relocation(s)?

 

51.  If Magoggo died on property that was not your own (i.e. John Hume’s or Walter Ward’s), why did you remove her horns?

 

52.  If Magoggo died on property that was not your own (i.e. John Hume’s or Walter Ward’s), why were you ever in possession of Magoggo’s horn as was stated in a Palala Facebook post on 14 August, 2011?

 

53.  Why was Magoggo’s DNA delivered to Cindy Harper when Palala themselves had reported that Magoggo had died and that her horns were returned to her rightful owner with permits?

 

 

Questions pertaining to your behavior subsequent to the establishment of this page:

 

54.  Why did you delete your Facebook page?

 

55.  Why did you revive your Facebook page after deleting it?

 

56.  When the page was “unpublished” (i.e. un-viewable to all public), why did you delete photos and posts from your page & almost entirely remove everything that had been posted before the several weeks it was down, before reactivating it?

 

57.  Why did you posted “18mass grave at Letaba Ranch” on your wall on Tuesday, 14th February (a story that was first exposed in 2010), then ignore supporters’ comments that asked for more information, and then finally delete the entire post altogether?

 

58.  Why did you also disabled your Ubumanzi Game Lodge website, around the same time as the Facebook page and what did you remove from the site while it was down?

 

59.  Why did Palala recently formed a “secret” Facebook group, as was stated both on the Palala page and by Palala admin member, Andreas Scheimann?

 

60.  Why has Palala admin member, Andreas Scheimann, (on behalf of the Palala “secret group”) claimed that Palala Rhino Sanctuary’s “donate button” has been removed in response to “complaints” made about Palala?  And why has he also stated that Palala’s “givengain” pages will be deleted within 14 days?   This statement was made on February 16th and not only is the “givengain” site still operating but you received another donation of 5000 Zar?  What is the money which now stand at 33.425 Zar or over $4600 USD being used for?

 

61.  Please explain what your problem is with a Facebook page where concerned citizens (independent of any organisation, business, or company) raise valid questions about your organisation that you have refused to answer.

 

 

 

Questions about suspicious posts made on Facebook by Palala Rhino Sanctuary:

 

62.  Please explain the discrepancies pointed out about the rhino calf photo that was posted twice on the page, once claiming to be taken 5 years earlier (of Keletewe) and months later (a modified version) with a representative of your organisation claiming Selomie had told her it was a calf born on a neighbouring farm in 2011.

 

63.  Please explain the more than 25 posts made by Palala that have since been deleted, as is accounted for on your Facebook-linked Twitter account.  A list of all can and will be provided, upon request.

 

64.  Please explain why Palala seems to routinely use propaganda (e.g. accounts of other rhino poaching incidents that did not take place on Palala/Ubumanzi property, etc.) to draw support from their followers, thereby capitalising on their understandable emotional sensitivity to the rhino poaching crisis.

 

65.  Why do you post updates on the Sanctuary’s Facebook page that state the activity and position of your rhinos, when doing so is well-known to jeopardize the safety of the animals?

 

Questions about your involvement with Phila the black rhino:

 

66.  Why did you rally to raise money to buy Phila, when it had actually been confirmed that Phila was never for sale and most certainly not to Palala?

 

67.  Why have you repeatedly attacked Allen Salkinder and the JHB Zoo over your opinions of her handling and care, even after qualified veterinarians have taken steps to address the issues?

 

 

 

Questions about Palala Rhino Sanctuary’s “anti-poaching unit”:

 

68.  Photos posted by Palala of its “anti-poaching unit” show the unit members wearing Entabeni Game Reserve (a neighbouring game reserve to Palala/Ubumanzi) uniforms, suggesting that such “anti-poaching unit” members must be paid by Entabeni Game Reserve.  Who pays these people’s salary and provides their equipment, food, etc.?  Is it Palala, Ubumanzi, or Entabeni?

 

69.  If said “anti-poaching unit” members are paid by and supported by (i.e. with food, equipment, etc.) Entabeni Game Reserve, why does Palala solicit both monetary and non-monetary donations to support them?  How are such donations used (in detail, please)?

 

 

 

Questions about Wayne Bisset:

 

70.  Is it true that you have made several posts around Facebook calling for Wayne Bisset to be “taken out”?  If so, why did you do it?  Do you acknowledge that this is considered a death threat?

 

71.  What evidence do you have to support accusations that you’ve made that Wayne Bisset has in some way provided intelligence about your facility to rhino poaching syndicates?  And what information did he supposedly supply them?

 

72.  Please clarify if Wayne Bisset was an employee, a volunteer, a contractor, or a “squatter” during his time at Palala Rhino Sanctuary/Ubumanzi Game Reserve.

 

 

 

Questions pertaining to your “blackmail” accusations

 

73. The title of your post refers to slandering.  What on the page in question do you claim to be slanderous?

 

74. You claim that the page is harmful to “an endangered species”.  Since the title of your posts asks Facebook to “help us protect rhinos”, and in the next paragraph you again name rhinos, I assume you mean the endangered species is rhino.  Is that assumption correct and if so, how is asking a “Sanctuary” to answer some questions regarding their handling of such animals harmful to the rhino?

 

75. You state that you/Palala has ignored this page, however several representatives of Palala, including admin(s) of page and you yourself, have come and commented numerous times,.  Once in a thread where a member was quite distraught, and the admin badgered the woman relentlessly.  The comments have since been removed by your admin, is this what you consider ignoring the people of this page?

 

76. You state that you have repeatedly reported the page, post, ect.  What has the outcome of these reports been?

 

77. You claim that this page has connected Ubumanzi Game Lodge with the “Sanctuary”.  Is that not public information and easily found with simple internet search?  

 

78. Have you not posted many updates telling people of your location, post photos of the four rhino on your property and updated public on where and when you would be “patrolling”?

 

79. Are Palala Rhino Sanctuary and Ubumanzi Game Lodge not in fact just two names for the exact same piece of property?

 

80. You state that you were “in negotiations” with someone to remove this page.  Who exactly were you negotiating with, specific name or names please?

 

81. Why would you consider paying someone to remove a site that asks questions that have been removed from Palala page, and post screen shots of your own words, photos, public statements?

 

82. What “confidential” information has been “leaked” to people on this page?

 

83. Why did you choose the people you list by name, and by what merit do some receive an asterisk?

 

Questions about “Vodka”?

 

84. Who did you negotiate with to buy the rhino calf you refer to as “Vodka”?

 

85. You have said that vodka was sold to a second party before being sold to the Russian zoo?

What is that person’s name?  And did you negotiate with him to buy Vodka?

 

86.  What was the sale price of Vodka that was given to you in your negotiations?

 

87.  On what date did you find out Vodka was no longer for sale?

 

88.  What is the date that you informed people you were asking for donations, that Vodka was no longer for sale and where can we see that announcement?

 

89.  What was the late date you received a donation for Vodka?

 

90.  For what specific purpose did you use the money donated for Vodka?

 

Question about Bush Warrior article

 

91.  do you know why Bush Warrior article about Your sale to Groenewald is no longer on the site?

 

92.  Do you know of any other similar articles that are no longer posted?

 

93.  Were you ever asked by Bush Warriors for money to take the article down?  If so, how much money was asked of you?

 

94.  You claim that Bush Warriors got some facts wrong.  What fact(s) in the article were wrong?

 

95  Did you not confirm to Bush Warriors that you sold a rhino to Mr. Groenewald?

 

Unrelated to above section

96.  How many rhino have been poached on Palala Rhino Sanctuary?