Vet who wouldn't testify in Modise 'farm of horror' loses in court: NSPCA

A veterinary surgeon has failed in his bid to appeal his sanction by the South African Veterinary Council‚which followed his refusal to hand over evidence and reports relating to criminal charges laid against Thandi Modise.

Dr Sameer Abbas‚ practicing in Potchefstroom‚ appeared before an independent disciplinary committee at the council in 2015 on a complaint lodged by the NSPCAs against him for unprofessional conduct.

This followed his refusal to hand over evidence and reports relating to charges laid against Modise‚ chair of the National Council of Provinces‚ after the SPCA found starving animals on her farm in Modderfontein‚ outside Potchefstroom in the North West‚ in 2014.

Over 50 dead pigs were discovered and the remaining 85 pigs were cannibalising on the rotten carcasses of other pigs. At the time‚ the only worker on Modise’s farm‚ Tebogo “Nino” Moekaedi‚ and his family‚ said he had been there for two months without pay and with no animal feed. They‚ too‚ were going hungry and Moekaedi said he was owed his wages.

Abbas had taken photographs at the farm and tissue samples of the animals for analysis which the NSPCA had expected would form the basis of his report for inclusion in the docket relating to the criminal charges laid against Modise.

The SA Veterinary Council's independent disciplinary committee found Abbas guilty on two charges of contravening the SAVC Rules‚ the NSPCA said in a statement. His license to practice was suspended for six months‚ the suspension itself being suspended for two years.

Abbas appealed the SAVC ruling in the High Court‚ which was heard in October 2017.

The NSPCA said the High Court handed down judgment on 14 December 2017‚ dismissing his review application.

"The NSPCA are still taken aback by the decision made by Dr Abbas to refuse the submission of his evidence and reports in order to acquire justice for the animals that were subjected to extreme suffering‚ and support the decision taken by the High Court‚" the animal welfare group's Marcelle Meredith said.

The organisation previously said it had been conducting inspections at the farm to ensure the welfare of the remaining animals and that conditions had improved.

Modise‚ who bought the farm with a R4.8-million loan from the Land Bank in 2011‚ previously blamed her former farm manager and an employee for leaving the farm unattended for weeks.