R13m raised at game auction
2011-04-12 21:06




Bloemfontein - The Free State government game auction has raised R13 million, the head of the department of environmental affairs, Lawrence Ramaema, says.

Some 130 game farmers and hunters had gathered at the Willem Pretorius Nature Reserve to bid for live game and hunting packages presented by the Free State government.

The catalogue-based auction was part of the Free State's game management plan to ensure that game populations in all state resorts were manageable to avoid overgrazing and other complications.

Ramaema said on Tuesday that a record breaking bid had been made on a white rhino, which was sold for R490 000.

He said the department's efforts to transform the "lucrative" game industry were doing well.

The department has developed game donations and game loan policies in an attempt to bring black game farmers into the industry.

"To give impetus to these initiatives, the department has already donated game to 13 emerging black game farmers and loaned 10 buffalo to Sipho Dube, the owner of the Three Sisters Game Ranch in Smithfield," he said in a statement.

The department would also be donating 60 springbok and 10 zebra to four new game farmers in Thaba Phatswa, Koffiefontein, Zastron and Bloemfontein before the end of the week.



- SAPA

While just "killing time" I have been to a couple of Game Auctions....my question, other than perhaps having a Vet there, is why is the damn Government involved???
The "auctions" I attended were totally organized and run by private organizations/individuals.....and there was a charming, lovely Brit ex-patriate Vet present along with some uniformed RSA game officials.....few years ago but both Rhino bulls offered were sold for around $120,000 USD.
I don't understand Government involvement unless there is an AGENDA!

My sources in South Africa tell me that the Chinese are buying rhinos at these auctions for 'fire sale' prices.

They are using Boer flunkies as the middlemen.