NSPCA welcomes long-awaited reform for lion captivity breeding ban

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CAPE TOWN - The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has  welcomed the announcement by Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, on the imminent publication of the Lion Prohibition Notice banning new captive lion breeding facilities.   This long-awaited reform marks a pivotal milestone in dismantling an industry built on systemic cruelty, reflecting years of legal action, public advocacy, and inspections by the NSPCA. The prohibition confirms what the NSPCA has long exposed: the captive lion industry has operated largely unabated for decades, inflicting severe animal welfare violations, damaging South Africa’s conservation reputation, and flouting constitutional obligations to protect sentient beings. While limited to new facilities, this ban sends a clear signal that the commodification of lions for tourism, hunting, and the bone trade is no longer defensible. The NSPCA’s decade-long investigations have laid bare the industry’s brutality. O...
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O.R.Tambo Int Airport secures 121.1 Million litres of jet fuel

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PRETORIA - The National Department of Transport has announced today that the fuels industry and its stakeholders have in total secured 121.1 million litres of jet fuel needed at the O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) until the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) refinery opens its doors at the end of February 2025.

This announcement follows an urgent meeting convened by the Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy last Friday the 24th of January 2025, with relevant fuel industry stakeholders to resolve jet fuel shortages.

The meeting was attended by Airport Company South Africa (ACSA), Fuel Industry Association of South Africa (FIASA) and SASOL. The aim was to resolve jet fuel
shortages that were threatening to disrupt flight operations at OR Tambo International Airport in February 2025.

The cause of the anticipated fuel shortages was the shutdown of the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF), which caught fire on the 4th of January
2025.

This led to some airlines having to make alternative arrangements to secure fuel at Windhoek, King Shaka Airport and other destinations at considerable inconvenience to passengers and crew.

On Monday, last week, the fuels industry indicated to ACSA that it had secured 50 million litres of jet fuel from various suppliers and on Friday, an additional 71.1 million litres were secured which brings the total to 121.1 million litres of jet fuel for OR Tambo.

The above total will be imported through the Port of Durban via three vessels expected to arrive on 01 February and 10 February 2025.

The meeting agreed that all parties will work on a logistics plan to ensure the imported fuel supply moves from the Port of Durban to OR Tambo in time for airline needs. An update on these logistics plans will be presented to the Minister on Friday 31 January
2025.

Parties agreed it is necessary to build a fuel reserve to serve as a critical safety buffer for unforeseen circumstances such as delays, diversions, or unexpected changes in flight conditions. In this regard ACSA will engage the Department of Mineral and
Petroleum Resources and its entities.

Minister Creecy has expressed her appreciation to passengers, businesses and stakeholders for their patience during this period of unforeseen difficulty and
apologises for the inconvenience caused.

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