Court blocks, for now, transport of 70,000 sheep by sea to the Middle East
Image: 123RF/Dmitry Pichugin
The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has welcomed a court ruling interdicting a livestock company from exporting 70,000 sheep at a feedlot in the Eastern Cape to the Middle East.
The interdict was granted in favour of the NSPCA on Tuesday at the high court in Makhanda against Kuwaiti livestock company Al Mawashi and the Kuwaiti company which owns the Al Messilah ship.
The case was heard on an urgent basis, after being originally set down for July 16, after the unexpected arrival of the Al Messilah in East London. The NSPCA is opposed to the export of live animals by sea.
The interim order, barring the export of the sheep from SA, will remain in place until the matter is heard on July 16.
“Although this fight is far from over, we are overjoyed with this victory ... One battle won, it is now time to win the war,” said Marcelle Meredith, executive director of the NSPCA, in a statement on Wednesday.