A top official of South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC), Thandi Modise is to face prosecution over deaths of animals on her farm.
She is being accused of animal cruelty following the death of several animals and birds on her farm.
These animals reportedly died of hunger on her farm. Local media reports that surviving animals like pigs were forced to eat dead pigs.
A campaign group says more than 160 animals were killed as a result of “absolute cruelty”. The incident occurred in 2014.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SPCA) is pushing for Modise’s prosecution.
The group reportedly discovered the incident on Saturday saying carcasses of “pig, sheep, goat, goose and duck” were found on Modise’s farm.
A supporter of the campaign from the lobby group AfriForum’s lawyer Monique Taut said “some of the surviving pigs had to feed on pig carcasses to survive”.
@afriforum & #GerrieNel will privately prosecute the ANC dignitary Thandi Modise. The NSPCA came across pig, sheep, goat, goose and duck carcasses on Modise’s farm in North West. Some of the surviving pigs had to feed on pig carcasses to survive #onsvervolg #privateprosecution pic.twitter.com/kXneseqz5m
— Monique Taute (@monique_taute) July 19, 2018
Modise said she also learnt of the incident on Saturday.
“I am not a farmer. I am trying to farm. I am learning. But if you are a woman and you are learning you are not allowed to make mistakes,” she is quoted by IOL as saying.
Thandi Modise is National Council of Provinces (NCOP) chairwoman. She bought the farm three years ago.
Source: Africafeeds.com