12/03/2026
Pictured from the left are Jacques Kriek, Provincial chairman of WRSA Northern Cape, and Wiaan van der Linde, owner of Wintershoek Safaris.
Wiaan van der Linde, former WRSA president a game rancher and professional outfitter, also addressed the audience. As a licensed professional outfitter, Wiaan organises hunting trips for wildlife farmers and ranchers. He also serves on the EXCO of the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA).
During his presentation, Wiaan provided an update on the current challenges and state of trophy hunting in South Africa. He emphasised that trophy hunting plays a vital role in the wildlife industry, as it generates income for game farmers and ranchers while also contributing significantly to tourism and the broader South African economy.
Wiaan explained that one of the challenges facing the sector is the lack of uniformity among wildlife ranchers, particularly regarding trophy hunting price structures. According to him, the industry does not have consistent pricing guidelines for game species, which can create confusion for international hunting clients. He stressed that the sector needs to become more aligned, as inconsistent pricing can lead to lost income and may drive potential clients toward competing destinations.
He also noted that regions such as Texas in the United States have developed competitive trophy hunting industries with many of the same game species found in South Africa, increasing international competition for hunting clients.
