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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Last day to register spaza shops nationwide

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PRETORIA - Spaza shop owners and vendors have until the end of the day to register their businesses with their local municipalities.

“Spaza shops must be registered to ensure that food safety laws are followed, and dangerous goods are taken off the market, keeping children safe and preventing future outbreaks,” the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in an earlier statement.

The deadline for registration of businesses is today, Friday, 28 February 2025.

Application forms for registration or permits to conduct business can be accessed physically at municipal offices or on the municipality’s website. 


The registration of a business takes one day.

“Citizens are reminded that registering a spaza shop on behalf of another person is a criminal offense. The Immigration Act of 2002 clearly states that it is a criminal offense to assist an illegal foreigner to conduct any business in the country and to assist an illegal foreigner to obtain a licence to conduct any business,” the GCIS said. 

Last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa extended the registration deadline for all spaza shops and food handling outlets after initially announcing the registration directive in November 2024. 

This extension follows a serious incident involving foodborne illnesses, which resulted in over 890 cases and nearly 30 deaths since September 2024.

In October last year, six primary school children from Naledi, Soweto, died after allegedly eating snacks from a foreign-owned local spaza shop.

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