ESTINA CRUELTY
More shocking animal abuse horrors at Gupta-linked Vrede dairy farm
As the trial against those accused of corruption linked to the Gupta-owned firm Estina and the Vrede dairy farm project grinds on, cattle on the farm have been found by the NSPCA to be starving, without water and in shocking condition.
The farm was established in 2012 by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Dard) to empower black farmers with the knowledge and skills of operating a successful dairy farming enterprise.
Instead, third-party ‘implementing agents’ were awarded large contracts by the Free State during Ace Magashule’s tenure. This saw between R250-million and R340-million siphoned out of the local empowerment programme into the bank accounts of Gupta-owned companies and their associates.
With the trial in progress, the Free State government announced in January 2022 that the 2,904-hectare farm would be handed over to 65 community beneficiaries in line with a high court order issued two years before. It consisted of 583 dairy animals, nine horses, 10 tractors and milking equipment.
The handover was in line with Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s recommendations in December 2020, after a report into allegations of maladministration in the Free State Department of Agriculture’s Vrede Integrated Dairy Project in 2017/18.
But now the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) has received information that the dairy cows were being left without food, water or veterinary care. What they found when they visited the farm was disturbing. Four cows were so emaciated they could not move. None had received the urgent veterinary attention required.
Some cows were so emaciated they could not move. (Photo: NSPCA)
Inspectors instructed the staff to urgently contact an emergency vet.
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“Shockingly, instead of contacting a commercial vet, the farm chose to try and contact a state veterinarian, knowing full well that state veterinarians do not work over weekends. It is questionable as to why a privately run dairy farm would depend on the services of a state veterinarian.” As a result, the NSPCA had to euthanise all four cows to prevent further suffering.
Calves were unfed and suffering from diarrhoea.
(Photo: NSPCA)
Shortly after this, the NSPCA conducted a follow-up inspection and were horrified to find even more animal cruelty. One of the cows was found suffering from an untreated eye infection and had maggots eating away at her eyeball. Two more cows had to be euthanized to prevent further suffering. One was found struggling to breathe and hadn’t been able to move for three days. The other had a broken leg that hadn’t healed properly. Neither of the three cows had received any recent veterinary attention.
The inspectors also found calves suffering from diarrhoea. They were without sufficient access to drinking water and feed and were being kept in dirty living conditions.
When Our Burning Planet contacted the farm manager, Ephraim Dhlamini, he said he could not comment. Communications officer for the Free State Department of Agriculture Zee Mbewu, said the department had heard about the NSPCA visit but were only in an “assistance-where-necessary” relationship with the farmers after the handover and the department’s head, Dr TJ Masiteng, would be calling a meeting shortly to assess the situation.
Cows had to be euthanized to prevent further suffering.
(Photo: NSPCA)
“It is baffling,” said NSPCA in a statement, “how a project that is allegedly worth tens of millions of rands has failed, on multiple occasions, to provide these basic needs for their animals.
“These are the same animals that farmers expect to help them make a profit at the end of the day. Had the NSPCA not investigated, it is likely that the farm could have let the animals suffer slow and painful deaths.
The NSPCA will be laying criminal charges of animal cruelty in terms of the Animals Protection Act. The animals that remain on the farm will continue to be monitored. DM/OBP
Shame on all involved in causing the suffering. Thank you the NSPCA and the DM for exposing these atrocities.
Horrible human beings that let this happen to innocent animals that can not help themselves.
Painful and unacceptable. Thank you Daily Maverick for the exposure.
So Vrede project beneficiaries learnt no animal husbandry, which was the alleged purpose of the project. Ace has a lot to answer for. Viva, ANC, viva!
The ANC is a sickening party beyond words. We the people of South Africa will have to sort them out.
Over 70 people murdered everyday and they do nothing. Corruption and cruelty beyond belief, and the ANC continues to throw parties. I am sick of it. Also sick of the inaction of Ramaphosa. Right now I imagine he is almost at the point of deciding to think that he might delay making a decision on whether to make one in order that he can start putting any decision making off. Meantime the country is falling to pieces and people are dying because of it.
Lock these people on the farm and leave them there for 8 months without food and water too!
How I wish the NSPCA had more powers to take firm action in cases like these. How I wish that animal cruelty and suffering cases could be prioritised in our courts.
How I wish that humans everywhere could simply have some compassion for animals, livestock or not, instead of treating them as a mere commodity.
Life sure is cheap in Africa.
If this was anywhere else in the world, there would be an such an outcry.
The NSPCA overworked and underfunded left to end the suffering of these poor beasts