A veterinary surgeon who refused to testify against politician Thandi Modise after initially examining animals on her "farm of horror" has been sanctioned.

Dr Sameer Abbas, a veterinary surgeon practising in Potchefstroom, appeared before an independent disciplinary committee at the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) earlier this month on a complaint lodged by the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) against him for unprofessional conduct.

This followed his refusal to hand over evidence and reports relating to the criminal charges laid against Modise, who is chairwoman of the National Council of Provinces, after the NSPCA found starving animals on her farm in Modderfontein, outside Potchefstroom in North West.

More than 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, 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.

"Dr Abbas took his own photographs at the farm after the National Council of SPCAs had gained entrance under a court order.

"He took tissue samples of the animals for analysis which the NSPCA expected would form the basis of his report for inclusion in the docket relating to the criminal charges laid against Thandi Modise," the NSPCA said. "The veterinarian also performed postmortem examinations on the carcass of a sheep that had died on the farm.

"The National Council of SPCAs was advised in an e-mail from Dr Abbas dated July 22 2014 that he no longer wished to have any involvement in the matter."

The independent disciplinary committee found Abbas guilty on two charges.

Abbas's licenc e to practis e was suspended for six months, the suspension itself being suspended for two years.

The NSPCA said the case against Modise under the Animals Protection Act was still being investigated by police.

"According to the SAPS . they are awaiting Ms Modise's affidavit."

Modise, who bought the farm with a R4.8-million loan from the Land Bank in 2011, has blamed her previous farm manager and an employee for leaving. - RDM News Wire