A descriptive study of the role of informers in abalone poaching investigations in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the role that informers play in the investigation of abalone poaching in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), Eastern Cape. Definitions are provided of key theoretical concepts, including “informers”, “organised crime”, “abalone”, and “poaching”. Moreover, the investigation of crime, the objectives of a crime and the elements of a crime are discussed in detail. A pragmatic approach was adopted for the study, which suited the qualitative design well. Empirical data on the use and value of informers within an investigative and intelligence gathering context in Port Elizabeth were gathered by means of interviews. Since the research was conducted at a time when COVID-19 restrictions were in force in South Africa, the interviews mostly took place online. The research findings show that informers are a vital and valuable resource with which to address abalone poaching in Port Elizabeth. The findings also highlight that, in some instances, it is not possible to address crime without their involvement. Several challenges were also identified through the research. These challenges are reported on in chapter 3. Since abalone is such a valuable commodity in South Africa, the recommendation made on the basis of the research is that a more collaborative and collective strategy should be developed to address not only the crime of abalone poaching but also the societal problems that drive it.

Die doel met hierdie studie was om die rol van informante in ondersoeke na perlemoenstropery in Port Elizabeth (tans Gqeberha) in die Oos-Kaap te ondersoek. Hierbenewens is ’n misdaadondersoek asook die oogmerke en elemente van ’n misdaad in besonderhede bespreek. ’n Pragmatiese benadering, wat met die kwalitatiewe ontwerp van hierdie studie strook, is in hierdie studie gevolg. Met behulp van onderhoude is empiriese data ingesamel oor die nut en waarde van informante tydens ondersoeke en intelligensie-insameling in Port Elizabeth. Aangesien die navorsing onderneem is toe streng COVID-19-inperkings in Suid-Afrika van krag was, is die meeste onderhoude aanlyn gevoer. Daar is bevind dat informante ’n noodsaaklike en waardevolle rol in die stryd teen perlemoenstropers in Port Elizabeth speel. Ook dat dit somtyds onmoontlik is om misdaad sonder hulle medewerking te bestry. Verskeie uitdagings het in die navorsing aan die lig gekom. Hulle word in hoofstuk 3 bespreek. Aangesien perlemoen so ’n waardevolle kommoditeit in Suid-Afrika is, word op grond van die navorsing aanbeveel dat ’n kollektiewe strategie wat op samewerking berus, ontwikkel word om perlemoenstropery en die maatskaplike euwels onderliggend daaraan te bekamp.

Iinjongo zolu phando yayikukuphonononga indima edlalwa ziimpimpi/ oontamnani kuphando lokubulawa kwe-abalone eBhayi (ngoku eyiGqeberha), eMpuma Koloni. Iinkcazo zinikiwe ngeekhonsepthi ezingundoqo zethiyori, kubandakanywa “oontamnani”, “ulwaphulo-mthetho olucwangcisiweyo”, “iabalone”, “nokuzingela ngokungekho mthethweni”. Ngaphezu koko, uphando lolwaphulo-mthetho, iinjongo zolwaphulo-mthetho kunye neempawu zolwaphulo-mthetho zichazwa/ zixoxwa banzi..Indlela yepragmatiki yamkelwa kuphononongo, eyalufanela kakuhle uyilo lomgangatho. Iinkcukacha zobungqina malunga nokusetyenziswa kunye nexabiso loontamnani kuphando kunye neengqokelela zobuntlola eBhayi zaqokelelwa ngodliwano-ndlebe.Njengoko uphando lwenziwa ngexesha apho izithintelo ze-COVID-19 zazisebenza eMzantsi Afrika, udliwano-ndlebe ubukhulu becala lwenzeka kwi-intanethi. Iziphumo zophando zibonisa ukuba oontamnani bangumthombo obalulekileyo noxabisekileyo ukuze kuqwalaselwe ukubulawa kwe-abalone eBhayi. Iziphumo zikwabonisa ukuba, kwezinye iimeko, akunakwenzeka ukujomgana nolwaphulo-mthetho ngaphandle kokubandakanyeka kwabo. Imingeni emininzi nayo ichongiwe ngophando.Le mingeni kunikwe ingxelo ngayo kwisahluko sesi-3. Njengoko i-abalone iyimveliso exabiseke ngolona hlobo eMzantsi Afrika, isindululo esenziweyo ngokusekelwe kuphando sesokuba isicwangciso esinentsebenziswano ngakumbi nesiqukayo kufuneka siphuhliselwe ukujongana hayi kuphela ulwaphulo-mthetho lokuzingela ii-abalone ngokungekho semthethweni kodwa kwakhona zijongane neengxaki zoluntu ezikuqhubayo.