Emerging black game ranchers in the Free State to receive game
The Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs is dedicated towards the transformation of the Game Industry in the Free State Province and has implemented programmes aimed at ensuring that there are an increased number of black people who own, manage and control sustainable wildlife enterprises in the Free State Province. One of the crucial elements of the Black Game Rancher program is to assist emerging black game farmers to establish game farming enterprises by donating game to owners of suitable properties.
In view of this, the department will donate game to 29 applicants who were screened to determine their suitability, as well as the suitability of the property owned by them, for inclusion in the BGR Game Donation Program.
Of the 29 applicants, 23 are male black game ranchers and 6 are female black game ranchers. This is the department’s empowerment programme aimed at bringing transformation to the lucrative game industry as well as to introduce and attract as many interested black farmers to the well-established Black Game Ranchers in the province.
A total of 1570 different game species that will be donated ranges from springbok, eland, zebra, ostrich, buffalo, kudu, red hartebeest and blue wildebeest. Live game species will be available at the venue.
According to Nature Reserve Management Plans, excess game is removed annually from the Nature Reserves as part of effective biodiversity and veld management operations. Removal options include live game capture, public hunting and culling.
Details of the event are as follows:
Date: 3 July 2018
Time: 10h00 – 13h00
Venue: Phillip Saunders Resort
Media is invited.
Enquiries:
Elsie Makhasane
Tel: 051 400 9573
E-mail: ntsane@destea.gov.za
