by Bushviper » Tue Sep 09, 2014 4:40 pm
Dont forget about the AGRICULTURAL PESTS ACT 36 OF 1983 (as amended)
'Minister' means the Minister of Agriculture;
'import' means to introduce controlled goods into the Republic or to bring about the introduction of such goods into the Republic;
'insect' means any invertebrate member of the animal kingdom, irrespective of the stage of development thereof
I) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (6) no person shall import into the Republic any plant, pathogen, insect, exotic animal, growth medium, infectious thing, honey, beeswax or used apiary equipment;except on the authority of a permit.
Getting a permit from this Department is essential if you do not want them to "destroy or cause to be destroyed such goods or such part thereof as he may determine, after having given the person by whom or on whose behalf those goods have been imported or the person in possession or in charge of those goods at least seven days' written notice of his intention to do so: Provided that where in the opinion of such executive officer the destruction of the goods is urgently required or the giving of notice is impracticable, notice need not be given;"
That means they can incinerate your shipment at the airport and I have seen them do it in the past.
If you do not have this permit then you "shall be guilty of an offence and liable-
(i) on a first conviction of an offence in terms of paragraph (a) or (aA), to a fine not exceeding R20 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment;
Just be warned there are very good reasons why nobody else has been importing insects and amphibians for the past 30 years. If you only required a Nature conservation permit and a Vet health certificate there would be shipment landing every week.
Good luck with your endevours.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Those who are afraid to ask are ashamed of learning.