Rhinos that belonged to Dawie Groenewald, one of the people implicated in a ring that allegedly killed rhinos and traded in their horns, would be sent to another game farm for safe keeping.
The High Court in Pretoria ruled that Groenewald's rhinos be handed over to John Humes, one of the biggest rhino owners in the country, the Saturday Star reported.
Groenewald, a game farmer, and veterinarians Karel Toet and Manie du Plessis and nine others are implicated in the illegal trade and face 1872 counts of racketeering.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) asset forfeiture unit obtained an interim restraint order in May in terms of which a curator took control of the assets belonging to Groenewald and his co-accused.
Curator, Theo van den Heever said in court that the assets should be sold urgently as the money to keep the game and the farms was running out.
If the assets were not sold, there would be no assets left for the state to pocket in the event of a guilty verdict, van den Heever said.
The NPA said it did not agree with van den Heever that everything should be sold as this would not solve the problem.
Judge Bill Prinsloo said he would not allow the animals to die and that he wanted the matter resolved urgently.
Groenewald had insisted that he and his co-accused were not guilty of any wrong doing and did not illegally deal in rhino horns.
He said he had proper authorisation from relevant authorities to dehorn the rhinos.
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