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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Televangelist Timothy Omotoso and his two co-accused found not guilty after eight years

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GQEBERHA - Televangelist Timothy Omotoso (63) and his two co-accused, Lusanda Sulani (41) and Zikiswa Sitho (33),  have been found not guilty on all the 32 charges the state indicted them on. 
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has noted the judgment of the High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, Gqeberha.

Delivering the judgment, Judge Irma Schoeman found that trio was not guilty due to the technicality, mainly that the former prosecutors in the case acted improperly and the accused were not sufficiently cross-examined by the state. It is for that reason that the prosecuting team will study the judgement and decide which legal avenues to explore. 

Since the arrest of the trio in April 2017, their trial has been protracted with numerous obstacles including interlocutory applications by the accused that even included Constitutional Court challenges. The most recent applications were for five special entries for a mistrial and an application made on 16 January 2024, where the defence made an application for the judge to reconsider her previous judgment on the application for discharge according to Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which were successfully opposed by the state. The delays caused some witnesses to no longer want to proceed with giving evidence as they indicated they have since moved on with their lives and are not interested in reliving their experiences in court. That has led to the reduction of the charges from 63. 

"In as much as the NPA does not seek to secure conviction at all costs, it remains committed to ensuring justice is served for the victims of crime and will go at all lengths to give a voice to the victims by exploring all the possible avenues," said Luxolo Tyali, the NPA Regional Spokesperson.

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