Pretoria - South Africa will not allow the commercial trading of rhino horns, Cabinet said on Thursday.
“The recommendations endorse South Africa’s integrated strategic management approach to resolving the poaching of rhino and illegal trade in rhino. The committee recommends that the current mode of keeping the country’s stock levels be kept as opposed to the trading in rhino horns,” Minister in the Presidency: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe, said.
Briefing reporters following Cabinet’s fortnightly meeting, Minister Radebe said Cabinet has approved recommendations made by the Committee of Inquiry on the feasibility of South Africa trading in rhino horns as one of the options to preserve the country’s rhino population.
Minister Radebe said the recommendations were endorsed by the Interdepartmental Technical Advisory Committee and the Inter-Ministerial Committee appointed to investigate the possibility of legalising commercial international trade in rhino horn.
The Minister further added that South Africa’s strategic approach entails security; community empowerment; biological management and responsive legislative provisions that are effectively implemented and enforced; and demand management.
Last month, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa clarified that the South African government has not taken a decision to legalise trade in rhino horn.
The clarity from the Minister follows an online petition that has been circulated through the organization, Avaaz, calling on the Minister of Environmental Affairs to "reject calls to legalise trade in rhino horn products". – SAnews.gov.za
