To the Honourable Minister of Agriculture: The Honourable MP Willie Aucamp
PETITION FOR INVESTIGATION OF THE NSPCA BY THE MINISTER OF
AGRICULTURE:
The Petition of the herein undersigned members of Public who share similar
concerns over the execution of the NSPCA in their mandate as prescribed by Act
169 of 1993 as well as certain actions done by the NSPCA in violation of the said Act
INTRODUCTION:
In 2024 to 2025 the public has increasingly become aware of the allegations of systemic failure
and possible maladministration in the NSPCA.
A petition was lodged with 5700 signatures and was brought under the attention of Minister
John Steenhuizen which has ignored the public outcry and petition, no intervention has taken
place:
The previous petition has similar pleas for intervention namely:
THE NSPCA has been established with the following objectives as enumerated in
terms of section 3 of the said Act which are to:
( a) to determine, control and co-ordinate the policies and standards of societies,
in order to promote uniformity;
(b) to promote co-operation among societies;
(c) to prevent the ill-treatment of animal
(d) to promote the interests of societies;
(e) to take cognizance of the application of laws affecting animals and societies and to make
representations in connection therewith to the appropriate
authority;
(f) to do all things reasonably necessary for or incidental to the achievement of
the objects mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e).
Section 16 of the said Act has made provision for instances where the Board fails
in its mandate and gives the Honourable Minister of Agriculture extensive
power namely:
Failure of board - in section 16 states that : “If for any reason, including the failure or refusal by
the directors to attend any meetings or vote thereat concerning the functions of the board, or an
irresolvable deadlock among the directors regarding any decision or action concerning the
functions of the board, the board is incapable and will not become capable of achieving its
objects, performing its duties and exercising its rights and powers in terms of this Act, the
Minister may (a) give a ruling with regard to any dispute or other matter giving rise to such
inability on the part of the board with a view to overcoming such inability; (b) give such
directions concerning the functions of the board as he may deem fit, including the reconstitution
of the board; or (c) direct the transfer of all the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of the
Council to any other juristic person the objects of which substantially correspond to those of the
Council and see that it is done.THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PETITION:
We the undersigned request the Honourable Minister of Agriculture.
1] To investigate the large volumes of animals which were allegedly destroyed (killed) as a result
of the alleged instruction from the NSPCA to societies which have no say in the decision but to
allow the NSPCA to come on to the property of said societies and destroy animals which have no
reason to be euthanized.
Euthanasia can be defined as humanely killing animals which are hopelessly sick or injured in a
relatively painless way as an act of mercy. This is not what is transpiring in the societies as the
allegations are that the NSPCA mandates that animals must be euthanized because of
overcrowding(which is allegedly their own subjective view) and lack of resources to look after
the animals. Allegations have surfaced that the NSPCA continually closes down or has closed
down SPCA’s countrywide, where allegations are that the NSPCA destroyed healthy animals on
the premises of the HRSPCA ( Highveld Ridge SPCA).
2] The NSPCA does not provide the number of animals euthanised by the NSPCA or their
SPCA’s countrywide, publicly - which could be estimated near a million domestic animals year
on year - there is no accountability or knowledge as to how many animals get destroyed yearly
on their instructions or under their mandate.
The Honourable MP of Agriculture is humbly requested to investigate how many animals the
NSPCA and its local SPCA’s euthanise yearly and to insist that the number of euthanized
animals be made public by the NSPCA. That the number of euthanised animals be published
yearly per SPCA branch individually and the reasons for euthanisia be indicated. The NSPCA
has a public website where all information should be placed in public domain.
3] The local SPCA’s suffering due to underfunding are not able to feed and care for animals
while the NSPCA has surplus funds which is not used to support the local SPCA’s - leading to
euthanisia and closure of branches throughout the county. The NSPCA does not publish their
audited reports reflecting their extensive reserve funds. It is well known that the NSPCA are
beneficiaries of deceased estates, yearly levies and donations- yet there is no effort to share
their funds with SPCA’s countrywide.
There is no transparency into their funds, their reserves, their spending of these funds and why
they will not allocate funding yearly to local SPCA’s countrywide.
4] The NSPCA funds, reserve funds and what and how these funds are spent and donated should
be open to public scrutiny and published on their website annually. The Honourable Minister is
hereby humbly requested to order a forensic audit of the records, accounts and spending of the
NSPCA.
5] The NSPCA has cancelled registrations of multiple SPCA’s throughout the previous years andtaken possession of the assets, funds, liabilities etc of the SPCA’s closed down, which should be
donated to like-minded organizations in the area the SPCA was closed down, or the NSPCA has
the obligation to establish another SPCA under it to continue the work done by the closed down
SPCA, there is no record of such.
6] The Honourable Minister is requested to investigate the multiple SPCA’s closed down; and
what happened to the assets and where the funds of the closed SPCA’s are, and if any new SPCA
was established to replace the SPCA which had its registration cancelled or was dissolved. The
Minister referred to the allegations that there were over 100 Societies which had dwindled down
significantly. The Highveld Ridge SPCA in Secunda and Queenstown SPCA was closed
down/dissolved or had the registration cancelled recently. It is well known that at least 2SPCA’S are currently embroiled in litigation with the NSPCA, leading to renewed allegations
that the NSPCA inconsistently applies their own rules in their own manual and Act.
7] When local SPCA are closed it leads to additional financial, and facility constraints and
hardship on remaining SPCA’s
8] There are allegations that the NSPCA treats volunteers in local SPCA’s Management
Committees in a manner which has led to volunteers resignation, and the public being unwilling
to volunteer in local SPCA’s due to the actions of the NSPCA, The Result of people not wanting
to serve on these committees anymore, also causes SPCA’s to close as no one is prepared to
volunteer anymore and that the public has stopped donating to those SPCA’s and thus the
snowball continues.
9] We, as the public, request a public investigation into the NSPCA where members of the
public can bring their own grievances and dispute to be investigated and to be decided upon.
10] We, the public request a public investigation into the death of 4 baby owls in the care of the
Randfontein SPCA within hours of the owls being received by the SPCA - the allegations are
that the SPCA unlawfully euthanized the owls, such investigation to be launched if the local
SPCA contacted the NSPCA and what instructions were given by the NSPCA( if any) and why
the NSPCA has taken the bodies of these owls into their possession for tests. The need for public
investigation is due to the allegations of wild life which was unlawfully euthanised by an
inspector which was trained by the NSPCA. The NSPCA is responsible for the training of the
inspectors countrywide.
11] We humbly request the Honourable Minister to urgently initiate investigation into these
matters, to order the immediate investigation into the death of the owls, such investigation to be
done by an independent body,and to furthermore urgently investigate the use of funds and to
audit the records and Board of the NSPCA, we ask this as a matter of urgency as the animals in
South Africa are the biggest losers and we ask this while the Honourable Minister can still save
the organization and bring it back to strength. Seemingly the NSPCA believes they can close
down the SPCA’s country wide without any repercussions.
12] We humbly request the large-scale euthanizing of domestic animals countrywide be
investigated and that the Minister investigate the urgent need for regulation to prevent breeding
of domestic animals leading to thousands of animals being euthanized yearly and the need to
investigate mandatory sterilization of domestic animals under certain conditions.