In a race against time, the Eastern Cape office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is applying for senior state advocate Buks Coetzee to be awarded a temporary post-retirement contract to allow him to finalise four key rhino-poaching cases.
Five major rhino-poaching trials in the Eastern Cape with a total of 23 accused will remain in limbo if veteran state advocate Buks Coetzee, who retired in January, is not contracted by the National Prosecuting Authority to oversee their completion.