The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) on Wednesday expressed disappointment at the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) decision not to prosecute EFF leader Julius Malema for cruelty regarding an incident in 2023.
“The case stems from a widely circulated video depicting Malema attempting to slaughter a cow in a manner the NSPCA believes violated the Animals Protection Act and inflicted unnecessary suffering,” said the NSPCA which opened a formal case in September 2023.
The organisation said it had supplied supplementary video evidence, affidavits and secured a key eyewitness who captured further footage at the scene.
“Yet, in a letter to the NSPCA, the NPA stated ‘the prosecution will not be in a position to adduce sufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt’ that a contravention of the act occurred. The letter further cited the ‘authenticity’ of the video footage as a concern.”
The case faced numerous challenges and was escalated by the NSPCA.
“While we acknowledge and respect the independence of the prosecutorial process, we are disheartened by this outcome. We believed the available evidence merited judicial consideration. This decision will no doubt be dismaying to many South Africans who care deeply about the humane treatment of animals.
“This matter also underscores a broader issue: the continued struggle for animals to achieve visibility and protection in the justice system. The law must be applied consistently,” said the NSPCA.
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