https://www.iol.co.za/news/sou...a1-91d3-3262e80d6014



Ramaphosa accused of profiting from breeding and selling animals for trophy hunting

By IOL Reporter Time of article published 22h ago


Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has been accused of breeding and selling animals to be shot and killed from his Phala Phala wildlife breeding operation.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a non-profit American animal rights organisation, said in a statement on Friday a secret investigation revealed that Ramaphosa also owns a stake in a hunting company called Tsala Hunting Safaris.


PETA, which opposes the view that animals are nothing more than trophies or commodities, claims Ramaphosa and his employees have gone to great lengths to conceal his trophy hunting ties to this ’’colonial blood sport’’ from the public.

No permits to hunt leopards are issued by environmental authorities in South Africa, but Tsala Hunting Safaris still organises leopard hunts in Namibia and Mozambique, PETA alleged. Tsala also arranges hunts for 42 different species, including the ’’Big Five’’, PETA said.


'’PETA has exposed, through a secret investigation, that President Cyril Ramaphosa not only breeds and sells animals to be shot and killed from his Phala Phala wildlife breeding operation but also owns stake in a hunting company called Tsala Hunting Safaris,“ the statement read.

’’That company conducts many of its hunts on a property called Diepdrift, which Ramaphosa owns and is quietly developing and expanding. There, as well as on partner properties, Tsala can arrange hunts of 42 different species, including the ’Big Five’: leopards, elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, and buffalo.


’’Ramaphosa and his employees have gone to great lengths to conceal his trophy hunting ties from the public. PETA US recorded conversations in which his managers, Hendrik Von Wielligh and Rouan Nel, admit that he shares equally in the profits from all hunts conducted through Tsala and spoke of the importance of concealing his involvement.


’’One said, ’We try to keep the president's name actually out of the hunting thing because … of all the greenies …. So he wanna spare himself this, how can I say, bad publicity and all of that. So … we gotta do it under a different name brand, where none of my name or his name are connected to it …. So that's why we will keep always Phala Phala and Diepdrift and Tsala Safaris sort of separate from our Phala Phala brand.’’

PETA senior vice-president of International Campaigns Jason Baker said: ’’The secrecy surrounding President Cyril Ramaphosa’s investment in trophy hunting operations, fed by his breeding operation, speaks to the immorality and unsustainability of this colonial blood sport.

’’South Africans should be aware that the president is directly profiting from the hunting of the country's most revered and iconic species.

’’In South Africa, animals – including elephants – can wander out of an unfenced national park where they're protected and be shot as soon as they cross that invisible boundary.

’’PETA is campaigning for all trophy hunting to be banned – including hunting of the ’Big Five’ – and calling for it to be stopped at least on properties around parks, where hunting and tourist guides communicate with each other in order to prevent tourists from seeing recent kills.

’’It’s a total scam: tourists may think their money is helping animals, but the ’protected’ animals they saw on their safari might be killed the very next day.’’

In 2018, Ramaphosa sold a buffalo for R4.1 million at the Stud Game Breeders auction in Limpopo, with two others fetching R5.9 million combined.

Repeated attempts to obtain comment from the Presidency were unsuccessful.

IOL

Who cares what PETA says. I know the uninformed general public believes them, but they are just a scam to make their executives rich and they actually do NOTHING to benefit wildlife.

The South African game farms have actually done more for wildlife than PETA has ever thought of doing.

Just look at the White Rhino as an example.

That's about the only good thing Ramaphosa does!

Screw peta!!!!!

quote:

The South African game farms have actually done more for wildlife than PETA has ever thought of doing.

Just look at the White Rhino as an example.

Cape mountain zebra, bontebok and black wildebeest as well.

Well written!

So F’ing what? Who gives a flying F what PETA thinks or says? They can go straight to hell as far as I’m concerned. I am so over them and their bullshit.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THAT!

1. There are no profits from game breeding in South Africa these days. Every other game breeding operation is offered for sale at distressed prices. I don't think there has been a single game auction in South Africa this year. The bottom fell out of the market two years ago.
2. There are no unfenced reserves in South Africa holding elephants or buffalo. By law, a very stout or electrified fence is mandatory for these species.
3. Hunting is not a "colonial" thing. If it were not for hunting, there would be no humans on this planet. Hunting goes back to the origins of man.
4. The ANC is not going to listen to PETA. They do whatever it takes to get rich with the least amount of effort. I would not be surprised to learn they are trafficking in drugs.

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:
So F’ing what? Who gives a flying F what PETA thinks or says? They can go straight to hell as far as I’m concerned. I am so over them and their bullshit.

It does not matter what people like us do, some will complain!

It got to the point whenever I get into an argument with one of these stupid idiots, I say “piss off!”

This really gets them going!

And it gives me great pleasure!

The word 'accused' is a misdirect used here. It implies something illegal, which hunting is not (note hunting, not poaching), whether in Africa, NA, or elsewhere. It is all part of the political BS PETA uses as subliminal messages to the public.

Someone was 'accused' of something? Oh dear...

Oh my God... He was involved in a legal business??

Just awful.

quote:

. There are no profits from game breeding in South Africa these days. Every other game breeding operation is offered for sale at distressed prices. I don't think there has been a single game auction in South Africa this year. The bottom fell out of the market two years ago.

I have no idea where you get you're info......

I was at several game auctions in Alldays last year and prices where not cheap at all. And there where I believe two auctions in Alldays early this year......

Now with the drought in the North its hard to give animals away!

Now the prices on the glamour species like buffalo, sable and roam have been steadily decreasing. But that's,because supply has,been catching up!

quote:

Originally posted by Baker458:
Oh my God... He was involved in a legal business??

Just awful.

Easy there Baker, don't go convicting him just yet. He has only been accused of being involved in a legal business!


God these PETA fool are attention whores.

I believe he also owns all the ankole cattle on ol pejeta in Kenya.

This year is 2020. Last year was 2019.

Take a look at any website offering game farms for sale ... you will find dozens of breeding operations for sale currently.

The price of buffalo has crashed, nothing steady about that. Same with Sable etc. The crash started last year (2019), and this year there is almost no demand as there is no hunting.

Bank managers are losing sleep.

The price of buffalo and sable have been dropping for the last five years! I've watched firsthand.....supply has caught up with demand.

I'm sure they have taken a steeper dip this year, because people are hungry. And I am certain many game farms and breeding outfits are for sale in this down turn. I personally know of several that got in late, where under capitalized that are for sale.

This drought in the north part of the country isn't helping either.