- South African President Jacob Zuma. (pictured left)
This revealing statement partly explains why S.A. is the world capital of canned hunting. It is S.A. government policy not to care for animal welfare.
Indeed, conservation officials who would like to regulate for animal welfare are unable to do so. The legislation only allows them to protect biodiversity, not animal welfare.
The Convention on Biodiversity mixes animals and bacteria together in its definition section. In plain words the Convention on Biodiversity sees no difference between an elephant and a bacteria.
There is the Animals Protection Act of 1962, an old statute which does protect domestic animals, livestock and captive wild animals. But not wild animals.
Enforcement is left to the NSPCA, which has the frustration of having to grapple with unsympathetic judicial and prosecuting staff, and a creaking, dysfunction legal system. As for the Police force … well, the less said the better.
S.A. has so far refused to sign the UDAW –Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare, which has been signed and adopted by most other nations in the world.