PRESS RELEASE
(for immediate release)
TRANSPORT OF LIVESTOCK BY SHIP
The Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) supports the trade of livestock and transport by ship if it is ethically done and without any animal abuse.
Local legislation as well as the principles and guidelines outlined by the World Organisation for Animal Health, the OIE, must in the absence of South African guidelines govern the export of livestock from South Africa.
Agri SA, Agri Eastern Cape, the National Wool Growers’ Association, the SA Feedlot Association, the SA Pork Producers’ Organisation, the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation and the RMIF wish to categorically state that should vessels be involved in the export of livestock they would be required to strictly follow the guidelines as outlined within the OIE standard and comply with its requirements as certified by government. Al Mawashi brought an application to have an interdict overturned or alternatively amended to prevent the ship in the East London harbour to leave to Kuwait with live sheep. This interdict was heard on 24 June 2020 in the Grahamstown High Court. Judgement is reserved until Tuesday next week.
The RMIF was granted Leave to Intervene as a respondent to this court case in a previous hearing.
It was argued yesterday that the shipment and vessel do not comply with the OIE guidelines and the Animal Protection Act. The RMIF legal team stressed the RMIF supports trade in livestock by sea it but such trade needs to comply with the minimum standards expressed in the OIE guidelines.
According to our legal team, no proof has been provided to date to demonstrate that the vessel complies with the OIE guidelines. Therefore, the RMIF legal team supported the interdict until proof of compliance could be given. Judgment is reserved for Tuesday, 30 June. The final hearing is scheduled for 16 July 2020.
The RMIF and its members would like to state the following:-
• Animal welfare is of the utmost importance.
• A standard is necessary to export.
• In the absence of an own standard, the OIE standard should be set as a minimum standard.
• Trade is of utmost importance, subject to a standard.
• Standards must be enforced by government.
This is the instruction to the legal team for the court hearing scheduled for 16 July 2020.
DATE: 26 June 2020
ENQUIRIES:
Mr Koos van der Ryst Mr Simon Streicher (Chairman: Red Meat Industry Forum) – Cell: 083 303 7926
Mr Simon Streicher (Manager: Red Meat Industry Forum) Cell: 082 565 7910