By Stop Live Export SA (SLESA)
Civil society organisation, Stop Live Export SA (SLESA) has arranged a public protest against live animal export on the Taliep Petersen Bridge on Cape Town’s Nelson Mandela Boulevard today (Tuesday 16 April at 4PM) to highlight the arrival of the bulk animal carrier, the Gelbray Express from Indonesia in East London which arrived yesterday (Monday, 15th April) to load a large consignment of South African livestock.
The Al Messilah ship, which left East London a few weeks ago with approximately 58 000 sheep, 1 500 cattle, and 200 goats is expected to arrive in Kuwait today; and the Murray Express ship, which also took a consignment of South African livestock from East London at
the same time, arrived in Mauritius on Sunday, 14th April.
This protest is designed to highlight the injustice of live export and the ongoing suffering of South African farm animals as the National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD) defends its decision to step up live animal export based on
the economic benefits to the country.
Says SLESA, “We’ve called this protest to highlight the fact that animals are recognised by the Animal Protection Act as sentient and yet they continue to to be treated as commodities. We hope that our protest will highlight the fact that this is a social justice issue and encourage more people, and especially influential stakeholder groups, to step up
the pressure on Government to ban this unjust practise.”
Animals traveling on board live export vessels are exposed to extended and unacceptable cruelty as they are packed together in pens for up to three or four weeks, often in unbearable heat, which can cause extreme heat stress. The animals are also exposed to the
perpetual noise of the ships motors and are forced to stand in their own excrement, breathing in ammonia which leads to respiratory problems and sometimes blindness and death. Many animals, especially those that are too weak to stand, get trampled and suffer injuries that can also lead to extended suffering and death.
To support the stop live export movement and participate in future anti-export protests, members of the public are invited to follow the STOP LIVE EXPORT SA Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/StopLiveExportSA/ ) and Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/stoplxsa); and/or email the National Department of Agriculture,
Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD) to pass regulations to prohibit the live export of all animals by sea. Address the email to: Minister Angela Thokozile Didza at PA.Minister@daff.gov.za.
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