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Johannesburg - Criminal charges are to be laid against National Council of Provinces chairperson Thandi Modise on Friday following allegations of neglect of animals on her North West farm, the NSPCA said.
"The charges are to be laid at Buffelshoek police station in Potchefstroom in a couple of hours," said National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) executive director Marcelle Meredith.
The charges are against Modise as the owner of the farm and any people who lived at the premises, she said.
Modise reportedly bought the multi-million rand farm Modderfontein, near Potchefstroom in North West, about three years ago.
Pigs eating pigs
Earlier this month, police and SPCA officials found starving and dead animals on the farm.
About 85 live pigs had begun cannibalising 58 dead pigs, and were reportedly drinking their own urine.
Sheep, geese, goats and ducks were also among the more than 100 dead animals. Others had to be euthanised.
It appeared the animals had been without water and food for a week, possibly two. There were no farmworkers on the property, no electricity, and the water pumps were broken.
The Mail & Guardian and Beeld newspapers reported that the vet who performed the post mortems on several pigs’ carcasses refused to have anything more to do with the case.
Dr Sameer Abbas, a veterinary surgeon practising in Potchefstroom, also refused to hand over his report.
‘Who got to veterinarian?’
Meredith said although the SPCA had its own report on the discoveries at the farm, Abbas had post mortem reports after he took carcasses and animal tissue for tests.
"He just told us he doesn't want any correspondence with us. This after he was specifically asked to do autopsies on the animals," Meredith said.
"The question is why is he withdrawing from the case without giving any reasons? Who got to him? I am sure veterinarians are embarrassed by his conduct."
She said the local SPCA in Potchefstroom had worked with Abbas, and had encountered no problems before.
Modise's spokesperson Neo Moepi said Modise was concentrating on getting the farm back to normal again.
"We do not have any more comment regarding the farm. The [National Council of Provinces'] chairperson's statements have been distorted at least three times by the media."
"The charges are to be laid at Buffelshoek police station in Potchefstroom in a couple of hours," said National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) executive director Marcelle Meredith.
The charges are against Modise as the owner of the farm and any people who lived at the premises, she said.
Modise reportedly bought the multi-million rand farm Modderfontein, near Potchefstroom in North West, about three years ago.
Pigs eating pigs
Earlier this month, police and SPCA officials found starving and dead animals on the farm.
About 85 live pigs had begun cannibalising 58 dead pigs, and were reportedly drinking their own urine.
Sheep, geese, goats and ducks were also among the more than 100 dead animals. Others had to be euthanised.
It appeared the animals had been without water and food for a week, possibly two. There were no farmworkers on the property, no electricity, and the water pumps were broken.
The Mail & Guardian and Beeld newspapers reported that the vet who performed the post mortems on several pigs’ carcasses refused to have anything more to do with the case.
Dr Sameer Abbas, a veterinary surgeon practising in Potchefstroom, also refused to hand over his report.
‘Who got to veterinarian?’
Meredith said although the SPCA had its own report on the discoveries at the farm, Abbas had post mortem reports after he took carcasses and animal tissue for tests.
"He just told us he doesn't want any correspondence with us. This after he was specifically asked to do autopsies on the animals," Meredith said.
"The question is why is he withdrawing from the case without giving any reasons? Who got to him? I am sure veterinarians are embarrassed by his conduct."
She said the local SPCA in Potchefstroom had worked with Abbas, and had encountered no problems before.
Modise's spokesperson Neo Moepi said Modise was concentrating on getting the farm back to normal again.
"We do not have any more comment regarding the farm. The [National Council of Provinces'] chairperson's statements have been distorted at least three times by the media."
