The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries notes that EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading have produced a Report titled Breaking Point: Uncovering South Africa’s Shameful Live Wildlife Trade with China.
The Report makes serious allegations relating to the abuse of the CITES permitting system. As a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Department views these allegations in a serious light.
Accordingly, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Barbara Creecy is convening an urgent on-line meeting between EMS Foundation, Ban Animal Trading and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries to discuss how we investigate these allegations of irregularities, whether the Convention or other aspects of South African law have been infringed, and if so, what remedial action needs to be taken.
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Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
