Government to appeal to higher court against lifting of moratorium on rhino horn sales

The government is to apply for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal against a judgment lifting the moratorium on the domestic sale of rhino horns‚ Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa said on Thursday.

This follows the High Court’s dismissal with costs on Wednesday of the government’s application to appeal against an earlier ruling lifting the moratorium.

“My legal team is not yet privy to the reason for the decision‚ but I have decided to apply for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal‚”Molewa said.

She added that the application‚ once lodged‚ would result in the suspension of the operation and execution of the court’s decision to review and set aside the moratorium.

“I will not be commenting any further on this application‚ but it must be emphasised that this matter does not have an impact on the international trade in rhino horn for commercial purposes.

 “Commercial international trade in rhino horn is still prohibited in terms of the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)‚”Molewa stated.

Molewa said the government’s application for leave to appeal which was filed with the Registrar of the High Court on 9 December 2015 suspended the operation and execution of the judgment in terms of section 18 of the Superior Courts Act‚ 2013 (Act No. 10 of 2013). This meant that the moratorium on the domestic trade in rhino horn remained in place.

However‚ with the application for leave to appeal being dismissed it now meant that the moratorium was no longer in place.