iafrica.com
August 14, 2007
By Michael Hamlyn

Original Article

A flood of submissions has been received by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism following the publication of draft norms and standards for the management of elephants in March this year.

Members of Parliament heard on Tuesday as they were briefed on the draft by Leseho Sello, chief director in the department, that more than 80 submissions have been received — some as much as 50 pages long.

Organisations commented that the very specific requirements relating to fencing and husbandry will inhibit the industry and will limit its potential growth.

The stringent requirements will in particular discourage private land owners, and because of the cost of compliance will also prevent formerly disadvantaged individuals from embarking on the management of the animals.

The acting chairperson of the committee, Dan Maluleke of the ANC, was quick to suggest that the sustainable use of the elephant herds in this country could include the raising of the animals for meat consumption.

"I have eaten elephant meat," he said, "and it is very tasty. It is like corned beef."

Sello told MPs that she was doubtful about encouraging the use of elephant meat, as it might also encourage a regrowth of poaching, but she acknowledged that South Africa's policy is not to conserve the elephants simply to watch them, but to encourage the sustainable use of the herds.

She explained that the country has a stockpile of 30 tons of legally acquired ivory, which it has international permission to sell together with any other stock that has been legally acquired, and Japan has permission to buy.

But because at the latest meeting of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) it was made clear this was to be a one-off occasion the sale has not yet taken place to allow the department to find out what other stocks are held by individual provinces.

Albert Mokoena, an ANC MP, wondered why elephants were being singled out for preferential treatment. Why should cows, goats and chickens not be similarly protected, he asked.