Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Question by:
Hon Andricus van der Westhuizen
Answered by:
Hon Anton Bredell
Question Number:
1
Question Body:
- What is his Department’s position on the disposal of confiscated fauna and flora, particularly the auctioning of abalone as confiscated by the South African Police Service, and (b) what has his Department done, or what is it planning to do, to influence and possibly convince other role players of the Department’s position on the auctioning of confiscated wildlife or wildlife products?
Answer Body:
- CapeNature deals with seized items (excluding abalone and other marine species) in term of the Nature Conservation Ordinance and follows an approved Standard Operating Procedure: Handling and Disposal of goods originating from Criminal Enforcement Actions (2018). Goods/items seized by CapeNature during criminal enforcement actions fall into three broad categories namely: (1) perishable goods, (2) non-perishable goods, and (3) live animals, and includes items (excluding abalone and other marine species) seized by SAPS, which are handed to CapeNature for disposal.
The following methods of disposal are considered and used to dispose of seized goods:
- Permanent placement of (live) plants or wild animals at an appropriate facility, subject to permit conditions.
- Donation to appropriate facilities, subject to permit conditions (SANBI - Kirstenbosch).
- Sale by offers to purchase.
- Permanent storage [non-perishable goods, (rhino horns)]; and
- Euthanasia /destruction.
Seized abalone is dealt with in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act and is solely a national competency. When abalone is seized, typically by an investigating officer, SAPS signs over the seized products to the relevant branch at the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE): Oceans and Coasts, for their disposal). Where CapeNature have seized abalone, it is handed over to SAPS.
- CapeNature’s position is to not sell any seized wildlife, except for where large amounts of fresh products that cannot be placed in storge, are sold. Examples: CapeNature seized 88 000 fresh Protea repens flowers or in hunting cases where CapeNature seized large amounts of animal carcasses (17 eland carcasses). These goods are then sold by soliciting offers to purchase from businesses trading with the product.
Date:
Friday, January 27, 2023
