The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) on Monday declined an invitation by Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana to the ritual slaughter of a bull at a ceremony.
The SPCA will not allow the minister to bait it, said executive director Marcelle Meredith.
”For now we have no further comments. We might possibly send a media release tomorrow [Tuesday],” she said.
Mdladlana said that the bull would be slaughtered without being euthanised.
”We want the bull to bellow — and then we’ll sing the praises of our ancestors,” Mdladlana told a ceremony to commemorate King Mampuru of the Bapedi nation and King Nyabela of amaNdebele in Limpopo on Saturday.
A furore erupted when Tony Yengeni reportedly speared a bull before it was slaughtered at his parents’ home in Guguletu last weekend in a cleansing ritual after his release from prison after serving four months of a four-year sentence for fraud.
The SPCA at first said it would investigate, but on Friday said it had insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against Yengeni. — Sapa