To all KZN keepers with Permits:
Dear Stakeholders and holders of registrations/permits/licences for keeping animals in captivity in KZN
Please find attached a letter updating you with regards the process for development of the proposed Procedures and the Terms and Conditions in respect of permits/licences/registrations required for keeping of animals in captivity (and restricted activities related thereto, such as import/export, display, exhibition and breeding). It is the intention of the Honourable Premier of the province and the Board of Ezemvelo to apply the Procedures and Standard Terms and Conditions, once finalised, to all 2011 permits/licences/registrations required for the keeping, and use, of animals in captivity. We have received numerous comments on the draft proposed Procedures and Standard Terms and Conditions provided for comment in December 2010 and are currently considering all this comment. Certain areas have been identified where further information and input is required, or where there are gaps in the document. For these areas (for example enclosures for birds and crocodile farming) we have organised expert workshops to discuss them further before we finalise the documents for implementation.
To allow time for this further consultation to be done, and so as not to disadvantage you by any changes that are made to the proposed Procedures and Standard Terms and Conditions after consideration of the comment received from you and other stakeholders, we have decided to further extend the validity of all 2010 permits for the keeping in animals captivity in the province (including aviaries, zoos, sanctuaries) to the end of June 2011. This applies to any 2010 valid permit/licence/registration that you may have for keeping animals in captivity which requires renewal before then.
If you have such a permit and have already earlier filled in an EXTENSION FORM for an extension to 31 March 2011, and submitted it to the Permits Office (either direct to Permits Office or to Tracey Jacobs at
kznwildlife@iafrica.com), the permits listed on that form are hereby automatically extended to end of June 2011 (i.e. you need not resubmit the form).
If, however, you have a 2010 permit for keeping animals in captivity, and have not submitted an EXTENSION FORM and intend to continue to keep animals in captivity, you are required to complete and submit the attached EXTENSION FORM to the Ezemvelo Permits Office at our Head Office at Queen Elizabeth Park in Montrose, Pietermaritzburg or email to
sharronh@kznwildlife.com or
kznwildlife@iafrica.com. Please enter the details of your affected permits/licences/registrations on the extension form and sign your acceptance of their extension to 30 June 2011. Please note that the extension to your permit/licence/registration will only be valid if you have duly signed the Extension Form, submitted it to our Permits Office, and have a signed copy on hand to present to an Ezemvelo Officer on request. These extensions will be valid to 30 June 2011.
If you are in doubt as to whether you require a permit to keep a specific species of animal, please refer to the guideline document attached to the letter which lists the species for which authorisations are required, or contact Ezemvelo’s Permit office for assistance. It is an offence to keep any animal in captivity without authorisation where such authorisation is required in terms of the Natal Nature Conservation Ordinance 15 of 1974 and the ToPS Regulations of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 2004. Permits and licences are valid for one year, and it is the responsibility of the permit-holder to apply for renewal each year on expiry. Ezemvelo is the issuing authority for both ToPS and Ordinance authorisations.
If you do not currently have a 2010 permit for keeping an animal in captivity, or for a restricted activity pertaining to captivity, listed in the attached guideline document, and wish to apply for one (i.e. you are a new applicant or wish to apply for a permit for new or different animals or activities), please contact Sharron Hughes at
sharronh@kznwildlife.com and she will be able to assist you with the process.
We intend to finalize the Procedures and Standard Terms and Conditions by 1 June 2011, and to send these to you (including the application form) in early June, so that you can make your application and we can consider your application with a view to the issue your 2011 permits in July 2011.
Thank you for your co-operation and assistance with this process.
Yours faithfully
Dr Bandile Mkhize
Chief Executive Officer