COMPLETION REPORT
The upgrading of the P2-8 district road sites has been completed, the 5 sites; Borehole Gate, Baobab T-Junction, Mduna River, Mhlosinga T-Junction and Phinda Main Gate corner have been overhauled and are up and running and linked to the Nyathi APU Server in the control room. The Hard drive has been installed into the server to allow adequate footage storge space.
Each site was stripped and new cables and connectors run between the battery box and the cameras. The 3 old cameras were replaced with new Dahua cameras, 1 ANPR camera, 1 CCTV overview camera and 1 CCTV pole camera. All 3 new cameras are connected to the Nyathi APU server in the Nyathi APU control room.
At each site the 100ah lead acid battery was replaced with 1 200ah lithium-ion battery and new network switches and solar regulators were installed at each site. The power supply to the electronics was also rewired at each site to better safeguard the battery from completely discharging
BAOBAB T-JUNCTION
BOREHOLE GATE
MAIN GATE CORNER
MDUNA RIVER
MHLOSINGA T-JUNCTION
24 TB HARD DRIVE FOR THE SERVER
The Cycle of Life extends enormous thanks to all our clients, friends, and family for your generous contributions to our charity fund. Your support plays a vital role in helping us make a meaningful impact in the ongoing efforts to protect and preserve our rhinos.
#HelpUsHelpOurRhinos
We are proud to announce that, thanks to the generous support received at our fundraising auction following the 2025 Cape Town Cycle Tour at Constantia Glen, Cycle of Life Charity Funds is providing funding for a critical surveillance upgrade for the Nyathi Anti Poaching Unit in Zululand.
This project directly follows Nyathi’s major camera installation along the N2 last year and focuses on replacing outdated equipment first installed over six years ago. Exposure to the harsh Zululand conditions had significantly affected the older cameras and cabling, making this upgrade essential.
KwaZulu-Natal remains the epicentre of rhino poaching in South Africa. In 2023 alone, 325 rhinos were killed, followed by 232 in 2024. Already in January 2025, 7 rhinos have been lost—underscoring the urgency of this intervention.
The funding will support the replacement of ANPR, CCTV, and overview cameras at key district road sites, alongside vital maintenance to the network and power infrastructure. These cameras are linked to Nyathi’s recently upgraded control room, where activity is monitored 24/7 using a combination of AI technology and skilled human operators.
This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to protect endangered species and support on-the-ground efforts that have real impact. Once the work is complete, Nyathi Anti Poaching Unit will provide a full report with photographs from each site.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to every donor, cyclist, and auction supporter. You’ve helped make this possible—and helped keep our rhinos safer.
