Latest news with #AnimalsProtectionAct
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Alleged animal abuse at university farm: Stellenbosch students under investigation
Stellenbosch University (SU) is facing an investigation by the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) after Farmer's Weekly was alerted to the alleged inhumane treatment of animals at the SU's experimental farm. Students allegedly 'sped up' taking of manure and urine samples During trials conducted by students in SU's Department of Animal Sciences to test the nutritional uptake of feed, sheep were allegedly near-suffocated with plastic bags to force them to release their bowels. Manure and urine samples needed to be collected for the tests, but rather than wait for the sheep to defecate naturally, it is alleged that students attempted to speed up the process. As it is common for animals to release their bowels moments before they die, the plastic bags were quickly removed after the animals defecated to prevent them from dying. The report was made to Farmer's Weekly on condition of anonymity. It further stated that animals in the facilities had at times gone without water and food. Whistleblower blames post-graduate students The whistleblower said that all students that had to perform tests on animals were trained in the ethical treatment of animals. 'There are clear guidelines about how the animals must be treated. This includes ensuring that they have enough water and food, and that no animal may be pulled by their legs or ears. The students involved in the allegations are those that did not obtain their degrees at SU but are doing their post-graduate studies there. Perhaps other universities are not as strict on animal welfare,' they said. NSPCA monitoring investigation The NSPCA has since engaged directly with SU, escalating the matter to the university's Research Ethics Committee: Animal Care and Use. The university has initiated an internal investigation and disciplinary processes. Jacques Peacock, communications manager at the NSPCA, said the council was monitoring the investigation. 'If the conduct is verified, it would raise serious animal welfare concerns. 'Forcing an animal to defecate or urinate through suffocation or near-suffocation is not an acceptable practice and could constitute an offence under the Animals Protection Act. Any research or testing involving animals in South Africa must comply with both national animal welfare legislation and research standards,' he said. No animals in immediate danger – university Martin Viljoen, media manager at SU, said that the matter was of grave concern to the university. He noted that the complaint was under investigation and that SU could not comment on what steps were being taken against the students involved. 'As a matter of urgency, the committee has established that no animals are currently in immediate danger,' he added. 'All students and researchers involved in the use of animals for scientific purposes are annually trained in ethics and integrity by relevant experts and committees. All animals are under strict veterinary supervision.' Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Mossel Bay Municipality faces SPCA charges over animal cruelty allegations
The SPCA plans to lay charges for animal cruelty against the Mossel Bay Municipality after the discovery of inhumane conditions at Harry Giddey Park. Image: Supplied The Garden Route SPCA has announced it will be laying criminal charges against the Mossel Bay Municipality under the Animals Protection Act, citing what it describes as prolonged cruelty and neglect of animals at Harry Giddey Park. In a statement, Garden Route SPCA Area Manager Cheri Cooke said the decision follows months of behind-the-scenes efforts to seek accountability and reform. Cooke confirmed that inspectors found animals in September 2024 living in conditions of extreme distress, and that humane euthanasia had to be carried out in 'several heartbreaking cases' to end their suffering. 'This is not a decision we have taken lightly,' said Cooke. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'In the 10 months since, we have worked tirelessly behind the scenes providing the municipality with evidence, attending meetings, and giving every possible opportunity for accountability to be taken and corrective action implemented. We did this not out of weakness, but out of the belief that change should begin with responsibility from within.' She said the organisation remained silent publicly during this time to allow municipal processes to unfold, but the failure to take formal action has now left the SPCA with no alternative. 'The cruelty that occurred has still not been addressed formally, and no action has been taken against those responsible. We can no longer wait,' said Cooke. 'The SPCA is bound by law and by principle to act when cruelty occurs. Section 6.3 of our governing rules requires us to take action against anyone who contravenes the Animals Protection Act. And we will do so.' Cooke also addressed public concerns, noting that many residents had expressed outrage and asked why the SPCA had not yet taken action. 'Please know that we have never turned our backs on those animals. We have simply done everything we could to seek a just outcome without resorting to legal action.' The criminal complaint comes shortly after the Mossel Bay Municipality finalised its internal investigation into conditions at the park. That process was initiated following a Special Council Resolution in November 2024. The municipality had pledged to uphold the five internationally recognised freedoms of animals and committed to seeking expert input, including from the SPCA and conservation specialists, before making decisions about the continued housing of animals at the park. According to a statement by the municipality, the investigation uncovered non-compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act, its own Asset Management Policy, and Supply Chain Management regulations. Specific issues included unauthorised animal sales, poor asset management, and the euthanisation of animals as a result of neglect and illness. A payment of R27,227 made to the SPCA for euthanasia services was declared fruitless and wasteful expenditure due to inadequate oversight and missing documentation. The report also highlighted lapses in operational management and a breakdown in internal controls. Municipal Manager Colin Puren previously said the findings provided an opportunity to correct systemic failures and rebuild community trust. 'This investigation, although a lengthy process, provides us with an opportunity to correct the systemic issues that played a role in the situation unfolding as it did. As a municipality, we are committed to restoring public trust, strengthening internal processes, and ensuring that the humane treatment of animals and sound financial management remain non-negotiable values in everything we do,' he said. Following the report's tabling in June, the council resolved that no animals would be kept at Harry Giddy Park unless all required permits and licences are secured, qualified staff are appointed, and compliant systems and procedures are fully implemented. It also accepted the R27,227 as wasteful expenditure and referred the matter to the municipal manager to determine the necessity for disciplinary action. A report on the long-term future of animal care at the park is expected to be submitted to the council. As the matter now moves into the legal arena, the SPCA reaffirmed its commitment to acting without fear or favour. 'We will never stand by while an animal suffers,' said Cooke. 'We reaffirm our commitment: to protect those who cannot speak, to uphold the law, and to pursue justice.'
IOL News
17-06-2025
- IOL News
Cape of Good Hope SPCA intervenes in illegal sheep transport
Inspectors from the Cape of Good Hope SPCA together with the City of Cape Town's Animal Control Unit Auxiliary officers intervened in two cases of cruelty involving the illegal transport of sheep for traditional purposes on Sunday morning in Phillippi. Cape of Good Hope SPCA chief inspector Jaco Pieterse said inspectors were patrolling the area when they came across the sheep intended for cultural slaughtering. Inspectors found one trailer "dangerously" overloaded with seven sheep, their legs tightly bound, piled on top of one another, while another trailer carried four sheep, also with legs bound, one with a severe, burst, and infected eye injury. 'The stench was overwhelming. Both trailers were in direct violation of the Animals Protection Act, and one driver who was unlicensed, along with the trailer was fined by Law Enforcement. The sheep were seized by our inspectors and are now in the safe care of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA. "All of the animals were destined for religious slaughter, but cruelty is never justified, no matter the context. We have a legal and moral duty to act and we will continue to do so. No animal deserves to suffer.'
Daily Maverick
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
North West officials evade responsibility for Madikwe elephant crisis, say MPs
More than 1,000 starving elephants may have to be culled. Parliamentarians demand answers by tomorrow (Friday). In a scathing parliamentary session on Tuesday, 10 June members of the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment accused North West officials of gross mismanagement and evasion of responsibility for the ongoing elephant crisis in the Madikwe Game Reserve. The crisis, years in the making, has led to mass starvation and death among elephants, extensive environmental degradation and a controversial proposal to cull as many as 1,200 of them. The most damning testimony came from Douglas Wolhurter, manager of the Wildlife Protection Unit at the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), whose presentation laid bare a catalogue of failings by the North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB) and the provincial Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism. 'This is not a sudden crisis,' Wolhurter told the committee. 'It is the result of decades of inaction. The elephant population did not explode overnight – these animals breed slowly. Every warning sign was ignored.' According to the NSPCA, Madikwe Game Reserve now holds more than 1,600 elephants – more than triple the reserve's original carrying capacity of 500, and more than six times the 250-elephant maximum suggested by early management plans. The consequence has been catastrophic: at least 70 elephants have died of starvation since August 2024, with many more in advanced stages of malnutrition. The NSPCA documented suffering animals and dead elephants whose tusks had not been removed or logged in accordance with the law – a breach of the Animals Protection Act and TOPS (Threatened or Protected Species) regulations. Wolhurter's presentation triggered a sharp reaction from members of the committee. 'This is probably one of the most shocking presentations I've seen,' said DA MP Andrew de Blocq. 'It's absolute neglect. What concrete actions have been taken to hold the board and management accountable for what they themselves admit is severe mismanagement?' Questions by a number of parliamentarians cut to the heart of the crisis: why were long-term preventative measures like immunocontraception denied by NWPTB even though they were offered repeatedly for free by the Humane World for Animals – in 1998, 2020 and 2023? Why were the NSPCA, despite their legal mandate under the Animals Protection Act, excluded from the second and subsequent meetings of the provincial task team overseeing the crisis response? Why has no independent investigation been launched? The North West response was weak at best. Jonathan Denga, acting CEO of the NWPTB, confirmed that the province had known about the issue for years but offered no justification for the failure to act. 'Yes, the elephant population is a serious problem,' Denga said. 'But many of the management options have been exhausted. We are trying to bring balance.' Pressed by a number of MPs, Denga and NWPTB chairperson Khorommbi Matibe admitted that the NSPCA had not been invited to the task team as promised and gave no timeline for actual action. 'Unfortunately, we were not privy to the NSPCA's presentation beforehand,' said Matibe. 'We need time to study it before responding in detail.' That response drew a sharp rebuke from committee chairperson Nqabisa Gantsho, who issued a stern directive: 'You have three days to respond. We expect answers by Friday, June 13.' Wolhurter had previously noted that even though a draft culling plan was shared with the NSPCA in December 2024, the organisation had received no formal updates or invitations to task team meetings since then. 'We were told we'd be included as key stakeholders,' he said, 'but that never happened.' Meanwhile, public scrutiny is intensifying. A tender issued in May by the NWPTB proposes the trophy hunting of 25 elephants, two black rhinos and 10 buffalo in Madikwe – a move widely condemned by conservationists and tourism operators, who say it risks damaging the reserve's reputation and undermining non-lethal wildlife management strategies. The North West Parks tender to buy hunting and culling 'packages' for Madikwe game reduction. Although sold as a 'game reduction' strategy, critics argue that the tender was rushed, non-transparent and economically motivated. 'This is a reputational nightmare,' one lodge operator said anonymously. 'Tourism partners were not even consulted before this tender was issued.' Scientific assessments presented by the NWPTB and echoed by Wolhurter confirm that the elephant density in Madikwe – at 2.7 animals per square kilometre – is likely to be the highest of any enclosed reserve in South Africa. In contrast, the average for state-run reserves is just 0.79 elephants per square kilometre. While all sides agree that the current population is unsustainable, the divergence lies in how to respond. The NSPCA has called for immediate inclusion in the task team, independent oversight of any culling process and long-term ecological restoration – beginning with invasive species removal and veld recovery. But even the basics are missing. 'We're still waiting for a detailed ecological restoration plan,' De Blocq pointed out. 'There is nothing measurable in place to rehabilitate the veld or ensure that the reserve can sustain its intended population.' In closing, Gantsho didn't mince her words: 'This is a matter of urgency. We have seen suffering animals. We have seen death. We have seen degradation. The time for delays is over.' This week will reveal whether North West can rise to the occasion – or continue evading accountability. DM
eNCA
11-06-2025
- eNCA
Influencer faces charges after abused dog is rescued
JOHANNESBURG - The NSPCA has confirmed that Bobby, the emaciated dog seen in the background of a viral social media video, is finally safe and in their care. The influencer at the centre of the storm is now facing charges under the Animals Protection Act. The video, which surfaced last week, showed a social media influencer dancing for the camera while a severely malnourished dog sat in the background. Bobby appeared weak and neglected, sparking widespread outrage online. 'She is the most lovable dog, handing out kisses to everyone since the moment she arrived,' the NSPCA said in a statement. 'Bobby was found severely malnourished, suffering from fly strike, and covered in ticks and fleas. She had even been forced to eat plastic to survive.' The NSPCA's Special Projects Unit immediately launched an investigation and successfully tracked down both Bobby's owner and the influencer. Bobby was taken into custody and is now receiving veterinary care and proper nutrition. While she remains in poor condition, the NSPCA says she is on a 'long road to recovery.' Once she has regained her strength and health, she will be sterilised and made available for adoption into 'the loving and caring home she deserves.' The influencer reportedly sarcastically mocked the NSPCA online after learning that the organisation was looking for her. But the tone has since changed. 'Now, she will be facing charges in terms of the Animals Protection Act, while Bobby walked out victorious against her cruelty,' the NSPCA confirmed.
