Ban on travel for hunting is without sense

30 July 2020

This week’s ban on cross-provincial travel for the purposes of hunting, and the ban on hunting overnight within provinces are huge blows to the game ranching industry.

It makes little sense.

Hunting is an activity that requires very little close human contact. It can only be done in small groups. It takes place in the outdoors. These are precisely the conditions which are not conducive to the spread of Covid-19.

To allow hunting would be to say yes to an area of economic activity that can take place with a comparatively low risk of virus transmission.

South Africa has more than 10 000 game ranches. They produce more than 150 000 tons of game meat per year. Game ranchers depend on paid hunters, not only for a revenue stream but also for the hunters to do the work of culling.

The sector employs 140 000 people at salaries above those of the average in the agricultural sector. Many of those jobs will be at risk because of the hunting ban.

Every day hundreds of taxis cross provincial boundaries. The fact that hunting has been banned across these boundaries makes Minister Barbara Creecy look ridiculous and underlines that the ANC government is one wholly captured by factional interests.

Issued by James Lorimer,Shadow Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, 30 July 2020