Contact emails:

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leader@da.org.za

President of the Republic of South Africa

Mr Cyril Ramaphosa

Lead of the Democratic Alliance

Mr John Steenhuisen

PETITION to object to the appointment of Mr. Willem Aucamp as Minister of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife (DFFE)

Dear President Rampahosa,

We the undersigned, object to the appointment of  Mr. Willem Aucamp as the Minister of the Department of Forestry Fisheries and Environment (DFFE).  Aucamp is a game farmer whose own family business profits from the killing or selling of indigenous African animals.  Aucamp has publicly aligned with a number of game and hunting organisations including the South African Predators Association which is currently litigating against the DFFE to reinstate the trade of lion bones.  

Amongst other functions, the DFFE designates and enforces regulations on the game farming industry and has been in the process of phasing out unethical practices such as lion breeding and canned lion hunting.  These industries have brought South Africa into disrepute in the international community, with negative impacts on tourism and increasing the spread of disease.  

The Public Service Commission Act states that a "perceived conflict of interest" is where a public official is in a position that appears to be influenced by his/her private interests when doing his/her job." Aucamp's  appointment puts him in  a position to influence a public decision where he has a private interest.  The financial benefit he or his family could receive from decisions that benefit captive breeding and hunting may constitute corruption in terms of The Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA) 12 of 2004.

We therefore object to Aucamp's appointment  and reject it outright.

We urge you to reinstate Minister Dion George, who has made decisive moves to restore South Africa’s international conservation reputation by announcing the end to the lion bone trade, phasing out captive lion breeding and preventing the sale of rhino horn and ivory on the international market which would once again stimulate demand for those products.  These actions are not only in the interests of animals but also in the interests of tourism in South Africa.

Ending the Captive lion industry: 

April 2024 - after extensive public consultation, the DFFE released its recommendations in a Cabinet-approved report. These recommendations included mass incineration of all known lion bone stockpiles, to prevent its illegal export and signal its commitment to ending this practice, as well as a prohibition on the captive breeding of lions in the medium term.

November 2024 – Minister Dion George takes steps to end canned lion hunting and the lion bone trade.  The DA publishes a press release in support stating ‘Both industries face serious ethical and regulatory issues. Their prominence has led to strong criticism of South Africa internationally because of their misalignment with global conservation and welfare principles. Canned hunting, as opposed to other hunting practices, is widely considered by both hunters and non-hunters alike as unethical and in violation of the principles of fair chase and sustainable use.’

December 2024 – The South African Predators Association and others filed a court application with the High Court of South Africa in Pretoria, asking the court to order the Minister to set an export quota to enable these individual hunting operators to sell off their lion bone stockpiles.

October 2025 – Minister George’s opinion of captive bred lions is published in the Mail & Guardian:

https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/opinion/2025-10-27-killing-of-captive-bred-lions-is-not-hunting/

November 2025 – DA leader, John Steenhuisen requests Cyril Ramaphosa to remove Dion George and replace with Willie Aucamp as Minister of the Department of Environment, Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife.  Willie Aucamp is a game breeder who has proudly identified himself with the Sustainable Use Coalition of Southern Africa (SUCo-SA), an association of various wildlife breeding and hunting organisations including the South African Predators Association.  

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-11-09-sacking-of-dion-george-how-a-progressive-minister-is-being-taken-down-by-the-wildlife-breeders/

November 2025 – COP30 summit – the request to remove Minister George takes place during the COP30 summit in Brazil and is seen as an attempt to remove the Minister before the CITES COP meeting, in an attempt to withdraw South Africa’s biodiversity proposals, which have already undergone public consultation and include voting against the trade in lion bone and rhino horn.