The Inkatha Freedom Party deplores the continued position and support of the South African government in allowing captive lion breeding and lion bone trade in South Africa.
IFP Chief Whip in Parliament, Mr Narend Singh, MP, said “Despite no credible basis in science, or socio-economic benefits to the South African people, our government persists in what can be justifiably argued as the decimation of our wild lion populations through allowing the continued commodification of this iconic African apex predator, the African Lion [Panthera Leo]”
“These appalling policy initiatives by government, which fly directly in the face of international best conservation practice, beggar all belief and raise serious questions as to the motivations that inform them. A growing body of evidence as raised in the “Born Free: Cash before Conservation” report released by the Born Free Foundation yesterday, suggests not only no legitimate ‘science’ in support of the determination of lion bone quota trade quotas, but also absolutely no conservation value in the practice. The practice is nothing more than a commodification of an apex African predator for the pecuniary benefit of a small handful of people, at great and distressing expense to brand South Africa,”
“The Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries should firstly clear up their confused and obsfuscatory conservation and welfare mandates that still persist and overlap, and secondly, rather be taking lead and guidance from the example of Department of Tourism, currently under the very able leadership of Minister Derek Hanekom, and start putting South Africa first before embarking on such detrimental policy initiatives,”
“The IFP will continue to resolutely call upon government for an immediate cessation of all forms of commodification of the iconic African lion, panther Leo, in respect of captive lion breeding and lion bone commerce in South Africa,” concluded Singh, MP.
Contact:
Mr Narend Singh, MP
083 788 5954
