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The Gauteng High Court dismissed a four‑year legal challenge to release the Johannesburg Zoo’s three elephants, leaving them in captivity under the zoo’s continued care. The ruling, issued on 16 October, did not address the animals’ welfare or the city’s future plans for them. Lammie, born at the zoo in 1979, lost her companion Kinkel in September 2018. Ramadiba and Mopane were brought to the zoo in June 2019 from Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. In 2022 the EMS Foundation, Animal Law Reform South Africa and Chief Stephen Fritz filed a petition seeking to have the elephants released and relocated to a sanctuary. The court found that the application was legally defective and dismissed it without ordering costs against the City of Johannesburg. The decision was welcomed by the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), which has maintained that it is legally permitted to keep the elephants under an existing permit. JCPZ managing director Thanduxolo Mendrew said the judgment reinforced the zoo’s “daily commitment” to the animals and its responsibility to provide accountable care. “Our responsibility to Lammie, Ramadiba, and Mopane is a daily commitment,” he said. He added that animal welfare remains central to the zoo’s duties, alongside conservation education and public engagement. The EMS Foundation expressed disappointment, stating that the court’s findings concerned only the legal basis of the application and the availability of administrative review. “The court did not resolve the contested expert evidence about their well‑being or determine that they are thriving in captivity,” the foundation said. It argued that a permit does not settle the ethical question of whether the elephants should remain in captivity. Political pressure for relocation continues. DA Gauteng environment spokesperson and MPL Leanne De Jager said the dismissal did not mean the elephants had to stay at the zoo indefinitely. The DA supports moving the elephants to a rehabilitation reserve in Limpopo, citing their need for space, choice and social bonds. “The elephants’ need for space, choice, and social bonds is not a luxury,” De Jager said. The party called for a transparent, independent assessment of a relocation proposal that would consider each elephant’s health, safety, social relationships and lifelong care, with findings made public. Executive Mayor Dada Morero praised the zoo’s elephant‑care team, veterinary professionals and support staff, highlighting the institution’s role in animal welfare, conservation and public education. “The Johannesburg Zoo plays an important role in connecting residents, particularly children and young people, with wildlife and the broader responsibility of protecting the natural environment,” Morero said. Article source: The Independent Online | Image credit: The Independent Online
The Gauteng High Court dismissed a four‑year legal challenge to release the Johannesburg Zoo’s three elephants, leaving them in captivity under the zoo’s continued care. The ruling, issued on 16 October, did not address the animals’ welfare or the city’s future plans for them. Lammie, born at the zoo in 1979, lost her companion Kinkel in September 2018. Ramadiba and Mopane were brought to the zoo in June 2019 from Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. In 2022 the EMS Foundation, Animal Law Reform South Africa and Chief Stephen Fritz filed a petition seeking to have the elephants released and relocated to a sanctuary. The court found that the application was legally defective and dismissed it without ordering costs against the City of Johannesburg. The decision was welcomed by the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), which has maintained that it is legally permitted to keep the elephants under an existing permit. JCPZ managing director Thanduxolo Mendrew said the judgment reinforced the zoo’s “daily commitment” to the animals and its responsibility to provide accountable care. “Our responsibility to Lammie, Ramadiba, and Mopane is a daily commitment,” he said. He added that animal welfare remains central to the zoo’s duties, alongside conservation education and public engagement. The EMS Foundation expressed disappointment, stating that the court’s findings concerned only the legal basis of the application and the availability of administrative review. “The court did not resolve the contested expert evidence about their well‑being or determine that they are thriving in captivity,” the foundation said. It argued that a permit does not settle the ethical question of whether the elephants should remain in captivity. Political pressure for relocation continues. DA Gauteng environment spokesperson and MPL Leanne De Jager said the dismissal did not mean the elephants had to stay at the zoo indefinitely. The DA supports moving the elephants to a rehabilitation reserve in Limpopo, citing their need for space, choice and social bonds. “The elephants’ need for space, choice, and social bonds is not a luxury,” De Jager said. The party called for a transparent, independent assessment of a relocation proposal that would consider each elephant’s health, safety, social relationships and lifelong care, with findings made public. Executive Mayor Dada Morero praised the zoo’s elephant‑care team, veterinary professionals and support staff, highlighting the institution’s role in animal welfare, conservation and public education. “The Johannesburg Zoo plays an important role in connecting residents, particularly children and young people, with wildlife and the broader responsibility of protecting the natural environment,” Morero said.
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