# South Africans say “No!” to exporting meat from endangered species

- Link: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/2020/09/07/south-africans-say-no-to-exporting-meat-from-endangered-species/
- Published: 2020-09-07T16:22:14+02:00
- Author: dearSA

![Meat-safety-DearSA](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/
09/20190938/Meat-safety-DearSA-copy.jpg "Meat-safety-DearSA")

#### More than 45 000 people reacted to Dear SA’s campaign inviting comment on draft legislation allowing meat from endangered species to be added to the list of animals allowed to be slaughtered, consumed and traded.

_Click the link at the end of this article to view a report and public comments._

The overwhelming majority of those participating in the campaign objected to government’s
plan to expand the list of animals for slaughter and trade to include endangered
species such as rhino, elephant, hippos and more. The proposed list would also include
undefined birds, reptiles and fish too.

Why did most of the public participants object to these amendments? Here is a sample
of some of the comments:

“It is unconscionable to slaughter and trade wild animals, especially endangered
and near-extinct species like rhino and elephant.”

“The sale of any products derived from endangered species should be strictly prohibited.
The sale of products creates a market for those products and if there is a market
there will be poaching and exploitation.”

“Ban the wildlife trade. Consuming wildlife increases the very real risk of zoonotic
disease.”

Dear South Africa’s Enviro Expert Coalition was formed earlier this year to provide
expert input and guidance on policy and legislative matters relating to the environment
and wildlife. One of its first tasks was to bring public attention to the proposed
amendments to the Meat Safety Act, 2000 (Act No 4 of 2000) published in February
2020.

The number of comments received and the strength of views expressed far exceeded
what Dear SA anticipated for an otherwise routine legislative amendment that could
have passed unnoticed, says Chloe Roberts, spokesperson of Enviro Expert Coalition.

“As a non-profit, the objective of the Enviro Expert Coalition is to enable public
participation on environmental matters relating to legislation on a local, municipal
or regional level. The scope of this coalition will cover all matters related to
environmental affairs currently managed under the Department of Environmental Affairs,”
adds Roberts.

“With the successful launch of our first campaign, we opened our platform to participants
and received around 45 000 submissions which was an outstanding response. Our aim
was to inform the public of the changes that were being proposed while supplying
a platform where they could have their say and freely express their views around
the suggested changes.”

Roberts adds that many of the comments from the public were informed and passionate.
Of particular concern to most, is the proposal to add species such as elephant and
rhino to the list of animals suitable for human meat consumption. Not only were 
some of the “new species” listed already endangered, but they are already considered
highly commercialised in a conservation sense.

The Enviro Expert Coalition serves in a non-partisan capacity, seeking to inform
public opinion rather than mount a petition. The feedback from the campaign has 
been compiled into a report which has been be submitted to the relevant parliamentary
committee for consideration. [_(available here)_](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/draft-meat-safety-act/)

Dear SA is a public participation platform enabled by Sections 59 and 72 of the 
Constitution, which compel the facilitation of public involvement in legislative
processes.

It monitors legislative developments on a continuing basis to ensure that Parliament
is held to the standards of public involvement written into the Constitution.

Unlike petitions where citizens sign on to a particular demand or pleas, Dear SA
makes no attempt to influence the outcome of its campaigns. Its process of inviting
and collating public comments ensures that the individuality of each submission 
is maintained, compiled and delivered to Parliament.

“Our group is eager to expand its network to include other organisations seeking
to effect change for the better within our society by updating legislative procedures
and ensuring that transparency prevails,” says Roberts. “We will be looking into
new legislative amendments going forward as our focal point and will continue inviting
the public and other organisations to get involved on matters close to their hearts.

“The environment should be preserved for future generations and the responsibility
to preserve rests on our shoulders.”

[view campaign report and public comments ](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/draft-meat-safety-act/)