Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has extended the period of the Ministerial Task Team, whose aim is to identify and recommend voluntary exit options and pathways for the captive lion industry.

The Ministerial Task Team was established in terms of section 3A of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), by notice in the Government Gazette (Government Notice No. 2846, Government Gazette No. 47666 of 7 December 2022).

The period of the task team was due to expire on 30 June 2023.

“The Minister, hereby, gives notice of her extension of the period for establishment of the Ministerial Task Team by a further period of six months from 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023, as published in the Government Gazette (Government Notice No. 3536, Government Gazette No. 48783 of 13 June 2023).

“The extension is intended to give the Ministerial Task Team sufficient time to conclude outstanding work, which includes, amongst others, finalisation of stakeholder consultations, determination of funding mechanisms, and report compilation,” the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said on Thursday.

The Terms of Reference for the Ministerial Task Team are as contained in Government Notice No. 2846, Government Gazette No. 47666 of 7 December 2022.

Source: South African Government News Agency