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Ezemvelo denies slaughtering 32 buffalo to save money
NEWS / 1 AUGUST 2019, 2:00PM / KAREN SINGH


Durban - EZEMVELO KwaZulu-Natal has rejected a claim that it killed 32 buffalo because it did not have the funds to relocate the animals.
DA spokesperson on Environmental Affairs in the KZN provincial legislature Heinz de Boer alleged the buffalo were killed last week instead of being moved to Mkuze Game Reserve in northern KZN due to lack of funds.

Ezemvelo spokesperson Musa Mntambo denied this yesterday, stating that 90 buffalo in the Eastern Shores Game Reserve, in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, had been deemed to be “in excess”.

He said from a total of 90, 32 buffalo were initially caught to be sold on auction but all of the animals were withdrawn from the sale when two tested positive for tuberculosis.

“Bearing in mind the compromised disease status of the group, a management decision was taken to cull the animals, not because we had no money to take them back to iSimangaliso,” Mntambo said.

He said transporting the buffalo back to iSimangaliso would only have cost R3000 for diesel.

Mntambo said the remainder of the 90 buffalo had not yet been caught.

Mntambo added that Ezemvelo annually approves the type and number of species that should be removed from a particular game reserve, as part of population control within that reserve.

He said three methods are used to dispose of these “excess” animals.

“These methods are translocation to other game reserves, which may include donating the animals to community game reserves, selling the animals on auction, or culling them,” said Mntambo.

De Boer said buffalo were a part of the “Big Five” and the core mandate of Ezemvelo was to protect biodiversity.

“They were killed and they were then cut up at the abattoir and the meat was sold for approximately R20 a kilo,” he said.

Mntambo said the culling was undertaken by experienced rangers who are required to undergo annual mandatory training in firearm use.

“Carcasses are tested by the meat inspectors and the state vets, as prescribed by the Meat Safety Act (No 40 of 2000) before the meat is sold to the community.

Mntambo further added that Ezemvelo receives a subsidy from the state and also raises its own funds.

Responding to De Boer’s allegation that Ezemvelo had underspent its budget by R266million, Mntambo said it spent all of its internal subsidy money.

“The money that was not spent refers to funding received for external projects. These are projects such as externally funded ocean and coast projects, economic development, tourism and environmental affairs projects, and donations,” said Mntambo.

The Mercury

If only two were positive to the TB test, why kill them all? I am still

That's the policy, remove excess animals. Ezemvelo have been culling and selling forever.

Can one sell tuberculosis meat?

The risk of catching TB from eating meat from an infected animal is minimal. Tonnes of meat from cows contaminated with TB end up in supermarkets every day

It is not dangerous for humans

Richprins wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 5:09 pm Can one sell tuberculosis meat?

Look here re meat

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