TWO suspects have been arrested in Mozambique in connection with the murder of South African tourists Dina and Ernst Marais in Kruger National Park, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and South African National Parks (SANParks) said on Wednesday.
Minister Willie Aucamp described the arrests as a major breakthrough reached through swift, coordinated law-enforcement action across national borders. “We said that these criminals would be apprehended, and that is exactly what has happened,” he said, thanking the agencies and personnel involved.
Authorities say the arrests followed a joint operation involving Mozambique’s Serviço Nacional de Investigação Criminal (SERNIC), the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and SANParks’ Kruger National Park ranger services, including regional rangers from the Nxanatseni (Far North) area and the Pafuri section. Investigators recovered the Maraises’ vehicle, and sources say the suspects have confessed to the killings.
South African officials have opened formal extradition proceedings to bring the two men to South Africa to face murder charges, Aucamp said. He added that he had engaged the Departments of International Relations and Cooperation and Justice to prioritise the suspects’ prompt return so they can “face the full might of the law.”
The DFFE and SANParks also acknowledged the South African Police Service (SAPS), Mozambican authorities and conservation partners for their role in the probe. The statement reiterated that criminal activity in national parks will not be tolerated and called on communities and law enforcement agencies to maintain close cooperation to protect protected areas.
The Marais family was notified of the arrests; Minister Aucamp said he hopes the development brings some measure of comfort as they continue to grieve.
