Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife told Parliament that 1,220 elephants must be removed from reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, with culling likely for those that cannot be relocated.
On 25 June, Ezemvelo’s scientific manager Ian Rushworth addressed Parliament’s Environment Portfolio Committee. He stated that translocation options are limited and said the provincial authority had approved culling.
Rushworth told MPs: “What we have to start talking about is lethal control.” He argued that culling should be carried out in a humane manner and suggested it could create an industry based on meat, hides and ivory.
A senior official from the Department of Environment refuted claims of delays in approvals. The EMS Foundation rebutted the presentation the next day, noting that management plans for the reserves expired in 2022.
MPs also challenged Ezemvelo’s statements on immunocontraception, pointing out its successful use across 50 reserves in South Africa with more than 1,800 elephants.
