"The auction is aimed at disposing white rhino that are surplus to the ecological requirements of the various protected areas," Ezemvelo's rhino security strategist Jabulani Ngubane said.

The auction on October 1 was part of a larger "disposal strategy" which incorporated internal translocations and donations to private and communal land owners, he said.

"The sale of rhino to private land owners has been an essential ingredient in saving the species from extinction and remains an important part of its continued survival," he said.

Ngubane said rhino conservation successes were being undermined by poaching. He said 23 rhinos had been poached in KwaZulu-Natal reserves so far this year. The province was beefing up measures to stop this.

"We are negotiating to get a helicopter which will be on standby for the operations," Ngubane said.