From Protector to Predator? South Africa’s Top Conservationist Accused of $14m Rhino Horn Smuggling

In a case that has shocked the conservation world, John Hume, a man once hailed as a pioneer in rhino protection, now finds himself at the center of a massive wildlife trafficking scandal.

The 83-year-old Hume, former owner of Platinum Rhino, the world’s largest rhino farm has been accused of orchestrating the illegal smuggling of rhino horns worth an estimated $14 million (£10 million). Prosecutors allege that between 2017 and 2024, Hume and five co-defendants, including a lawyer and a game reserve manager, formed part of an international trafficking syndicate funneling horns from South Africa to Southeast Asia.

Authorities say the group manipulated South Africa’s legal loopholes around rhino horn trade. While selling horns between citizens within South Africa is permitted, exporting them abroad is strictly prohibited. Prosecutors claim the syndicate obtained local permits under false pretenses, disguising their true intent to ship over 960 rhino horns to Southeast Asia, where demand for horn in traditional medicine remains high.

The allegations culminated in a dramatic court appearance this week in Pretoria. Hume and the others face 55 charges, including theft, money laundering, and fraud. Though no pleas were entered because South African law does not require one during initial appearances, the charges have cast a long shadow over Hume’s legacy as a conservationist.

Appearing in a magistrate’s court on Tuesday 19th August, Hume and his co-accused were granted bail while awaiting further legal proceedings. The case is now set to move forward in what promises to be one of South Africa’s most closely watched wildlife crime trials.

Despite the allegations, Hume has firmly maintained his innocence. In a statement, he declared:

“I have nothing to hide and have fully cooperated with investigators for years. I categorically reject the allegations against me and maintain that I have never acted unlawfully. I am confident that, once the facts are tested in court, I will be vindicated and my innocence confirmed.”

Hume’s name has long been synonymous with rhino conservation. His sprawling Platinum Rhino farm once housed nearly 2,000 southern white rhinos, a breeding effort he personally financed for decades. However, in 2023 he sold the farm, citing the crushing costs of maintaining the herd without sufficient support.

This case leaves a cloud over Hume’s once-celebrated legacy. For years, he positioned himself as a pragmatic conservationist, advocating for solutions that merged economic sustainability with species survival. Now, the allegations suggest that the very system he helped build may have been exploited for profit.