
Excerpts from the letter read as follows:
“I have seen at first-hand how injustice gets overlooked when the victims are powerless or vulnerable, when they have no one to speak up for them and no means of representing themselves… Animals are in precisely that position. Unless we are mindful of their interests, and speak out loudly on their behalf, abuse and cruelty goes unchallenged.” ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU
7th October 2024
Congratulations on your appointment as Minister to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and to your first 100 days in Office.
On behalf of the members the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa, I have enclosed a letter which contains issues of concern, which relevance and applicability are flagged for your consideration in relation to DFFE’s environmental policies with reference to wildlife:
THE NINE AREAS OF CONCERN
Honourable Minister, WAPSA believes that addressing these nine issues of concern can significantly enhance the protection of South Africa’s precious biodiversity for generations to come.
Protecting Our Legislation – the Well-Being Considerations of Wild Animals
WAPFSA has noted the motion by the SA Hunters and Game Association (SAHGCA) to strike down the legislation on the treatment of wild animals. Their complaint hinges on their claim that the State failed to facilitate sufficient public engagement in the crafting of the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment (Nemla) Act 2 of 2022.
They want certain provisions in the Act declared invalid and unconstitutional or suspended for a year pending more public discussion.
WAPFSA strongly believes in the merits of opposing this application.
Trophy hunting in GLTCA: regulatory inadequacies and proposals for law reform
Animals in the KNP and the areas open to it are held in trust by the state on behalf of the people of South Africa. The State has a duty to make information about the management of the Open System accessible to the public as “swiftly, inexpensively and effortlessly as reasonably possible”.
The current Cooperative Agreement makes it very unlikely that this will happen, undermining transparency and accountability. The new Cooperative Agreement signed on 5 December 2018 creates legal framework for regulating trophy hunting in the Open System. However:
- Directions of Parliament were not followed in the signing of the agreement.
- Interested and affected parties were not invited to comment on the draft agreement.
- SANParks persisted in signing it, despite the threat of legal action if it did so
- No effective improvements in way trophy hunting is governed
- Trophy hunting will continue to be governed by protocols adopted by the Joint Management Committee established by the agreement
- Compliance with protocols is not mandatory
- No penalties for not complying with the protocols
- JMC has no legal personality (Is it a public body?)
- Stakeholders who are not members of the JMC have no right to attend meetings
Save the South African Rhino – Destroy South African Rhino Horn Stockpiles
South Africa’s rhino horn stockpiles are driving the illegal trade in rhino horn. There have been numerous examples of rhino breeders and their industry colleagues who have been implicated in the illegal sale of hundreds of rhino horn, suspicious deaths of rhinos and in the possession of unmarked rhino horn.
South Africa’s pivotal role in the illegal international trade of rhino horn has been confirmed by numerous researchprojects and published in the South African Anti-Money Laundering Integrated Task Force Report.
Further reports presented at CITES CoP19 which harvested rhinos horns have been diverted from rhino horn stockpiles in South Arica to become a major source for the illegal wildlife trade.
A Report confirms that official South African rhino horn stockpile figures are conflicting, inconsistent untrustworthy and cannot be verified.