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THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES APPOINTS HIGH LEVEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Minister Barbara Creecy Appoints an Advisory Committee to Review Policies, Legislation and Practices Related to the Management of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros.

22nd October 2019

The names of the committee members were published in the Government Gazette Number 42761 (Notice Number 1317) on the 10th October 2019. The Committee was also known as the High Level Panel, has been appointed in terms of the National Environmental Management Act of 1998.

The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Barbara Creecy has announced the appointment of Mr Mavuso Msimang as the Chair of a 25-member advisory committee to review policies, legislation and practices related to the management, breeding, hunting, trade and handling of elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros.

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ALLEGED SMUGGLING OF LION BONE CALLED “LEGAL” BY MINISTER’S SPOKESPERSON

WAPFSA MEDIA STATEMENT

07 OCTOBER 2019

The recent news release of 342 kg of lion bones discovered on an outbound flight at OR Tambo Airport on 1stOctober 2019 which was subsequentially confiscated, had extensive media coverage.

The comment from the Director of Communications at the Department of Environmental Affairs, Albi Modise was that “although the export of lion bones born in captivity was legal, a special permit was required to send them out.” This statement was reported by a number of media outlets, including World News, The Straits Times, BBC News, EWN, MSN, Business Standard, 7D News, and This is Money UK, Getaway, Jacaranda FM, and NST.

The export of lion bones from South Africa is currently illegal. In order to be legal, a yearly quota is supposed to be proposed by the Scientific Authority through the National Convention on the international Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Management Authority, then approved and communicated to all provincial conservation departments and managed at National level under the authority of the Minister of Forestry and Fishery and Environmental Affairs, Barbara Creecy.

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OCTOPUS TRAPS IN FALSE BAY THE WILDLIFE ANIMAL PROTECTION FORUM SOUTH AFRICA A SECOND LETTER TO MINISTER CREECY

Forum-Octopus-Reply-230919Download

The undersigned Members of the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum South Africa support the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, of which South Africa is a signatory, in particular the ending of poverty with the implicit reduction of inequality and the achievement of social justice.

Our constitution highlights our rights as South Africans to having the environment protected. We support equal access to resources at the same time as we support the need to protect our biodiversity for future generations.

The importance of addressing the climate change crisis is paramount. We believe that, as articulated by UNHRC Chief Michelle Bachelet, climate change is the “greatest ever threat to human rights”

It is vital that South Africa is able to demonstrate our commitment to protecting at 17% of each habitat type. Fulfilling our duty in this regard is essential in order to ensure the sustainability of resources for future generations.

SIGNED BY WAPFSA MEMBERS

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BLACK RHINOCEROS NON-DETRIMENT FINDING ASSESSMENT

WILDLIFE ANIMAL PROTECTION FORUM

IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH

THE SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE

Dated: 20th September 2019

Forum-on-NDF-Black-Rhinoceros-Final-Download

It must be noted that the findings of the above mentioned assessment were issued by the Scientific Authority of South Africa on the 12th July 2018. A year later on the 22nd August 2019, your office offered members of the public a thirty-day period in which to respond to these proposed assessments.

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OCTOPUS TRAPS IN FALSE BAY A RESPONSE FROM MINISTER CREECY

EDMS-mce185673-Letter-Ms-FalconDownload

“The creation of new fisheries in South Africa creates opportunities to achieve economic growth, focusing on small and medium enterprise development thereby creating jobs, developing skilled personnel and enhancing economic transformation in the fishing sector. The Octopus vulgarisms species was identified by the fishing industry as the basis of a possible new commercial venture.”

Minister Barbara Creecy Department Environment, Forestry and Fisheries

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THEIR FUTURE IS DARK – THE RHINO HORN TRADE – A LETTER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

COPY OF A LETTER ADDRESSED TO:

The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries

Environment House

473 Steve Biko Road

Arcadia

Pretoria

0083

email:  fshaik@environment.gov.za

           tzikalala@environment.gov.za

15th August 2019

Attention: The Minister of the Environment, Forestry and Fisheries

“Their Future is Dark” THE RHINO HORN TRADE 2019

The history surrounding the demand for African rhino horn is complex.  During the European colonial era trophy hunting was largely responsible for the decimation of the rhino populations, for decades thereafter the uncontrollable illegal rhino horn trade between Africa and Vietnam and China is to blame. 

Traditionally, once removed the horn was polished to a beautiful translucent hue and carved to make magnificent ornaments, or the horn was ground down into a fine powder and used in traditional Asian medicine, but increasingly rhino horn is now being used as a status symbol to display success and wealth.  

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WILDLIFE CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA

A LETTER WRITTEN TO ADVOCATE SHAMILA BATOHI NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS

Dated 9th July 2019

Wildlife-Crime-in-South-Africa-in-2019-Download

We believe that the need to protect our endangered wildlife species in South Africa should be a national priority. Rampant wildlife crime has led to immense human suffering and financial loss. Weak penalties and poor legal enforcement have made wildlife crime a lucrative and low-risk activity for criminal syndicates.

Nearly 120 000 concerned individuals have signed a petition to the office of the National Prosecuting Authority requesting the re-investigation of suspicious rhino poaching related crimes committed in Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal. These crimes have affected our important rhino populations, but equally have disrupted lives.

https://www.change.org/p/national-prosecuting-authority-of-south-africa-demanding-justice-for-the-people-and-the-rhino-in-kwazulu-natal-south-africa

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