While the Department of Environmental Affairs last week denied that it had taken a position on legalising rhino horn trade, its budget for 2016 suggests that the department will submitting a proposal to legalise trade.
The proposal will be made at this year’s Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which takes place in SA from September 24 to October 5.
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The budget, which can be accessed here states: “South Africa will submit its rhino horn trade proposal at CITES COP 17. The proposal aims to reduce rhino poaching, as it promotes the legal selling of rhino horn. If this were implemented, the sales could generate significant revenue to supplement conservation funding. R75 million has been reprioritised for 2015/16 and R48 million for 2016/17 for the event.”
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However, last week Environmental Affairs Minister, Edna Molewa, said she had noted claims that government would submit the proposal to trade in rhino horn, but the process to investigate the feasibility of a legal rhino horn trade “has not been concluded”.
“The South African government will, however, as part of the fortnightly post Cabinet briefings, provide a report on the final Cabinet decision, once this process has been concluded,” said Minister Molewa. “The outcome will be reported publicly, as part of the fortnightly post Cabinet briefings.”
While the Private Rhino Owners Association is in favour of legalising trade, conservationists have warned against doing so.
