COSATU NW statement on killing of boy by lion 04-07-07

 

COSATU North West press statement on farm owner of the ten lions that killed nine-year-old Tshepo Gaorupi on 17 June 2007 in Morokweng

The Congress of South African Trade Unions, supported by civil society, SACP, Churches and SANCO, will continue to fight against any type of killing of farm workers and their families by animals such as lions and dogs used by farmers.

COSATU has demanded that the owner of the ten lions that mauled and killed a nine-year old boy (Tshepo Gaorupi) be brought to the court of the law and be prosecuted and obliged to kill those ten lions, which is now going to happen.

The matter will appear in Mafikeng High court on 5 July 2007 from 8h30. We therefore call all Cosatu members in Mafikeng, Sangoco, churches, SANCO, SACP and the rest of the people in Mafikeng to support our call for the arrest of the farm owner with no bail for him to move free in the street, whilst the poor mother of Tshepo Gaorupi, a single parent of seven children who has been unemployed for over ten-twelve years will not see her boy any more, due to the non-compliance and recklessness of the farm owner. His license expired in May 2007 and yet he has more than twenty lions in the farm without permission, with no proper security fencing.

We call upon the court to do justice to the matter and respect the human rights and the children's rights as per the South African constitution.

All Cosatu members, civil society, SANCO, SACP, churches and the rest of the poor communities in Mafikeng will be demonstrating in the high court of Mafikeng on 5 July 2007, to call for the killing of the lions with no bail to the perpetrators.

For more information feel free to call Solly Phetoe on 082 304 4055