20 Mar 2018

Minister of Environment, Natural Resource Conservation and Tourism Mr Tshekedi Khama said only the owners or leaseholders of an approved and registered game ranch were allowed to undertake culling/cropping operations. Minister Tshekedi said he was not aware of culling/cropping license having been granted to farm IL3 in the Kgalagadi District as farm IL3 is a cattle farm and not a game ranch.

Answering a question in parliament on Monday, Mr Khama explained that only the owners or leaseholders of an approved and registered game ranch were allowed to undertake culling/cropping operations. He said that a game ranch could only be registered by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks provided land authorities had granted approval and that the director’s permit was required for all culling/cropping operations.

The minister further noted that Farm IL3 was not a registered game farm but had a lease for cattle farming. Member of Parliament for Selebi Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the minister if it was true that a certain individual trading as Kgalagadi Sand Dunes Services (PTY) Ltd had been granted a culling license in respect of Farm IL3 in the Kgalagadi District.

He also asked whether a lease to the farm or an approved registered game farm was required before such a license could be issued and whether the individual in question had a lease to the farm or it was an approved registered game farm. ENDS