AfriForum to privately prosecute NCOP chair Thandi Modise
Afriforum has announced that it
will privately prosecute the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces,
Thandi Modise, on charges of animal cruelty.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) filed charges against Modise in 2014 after it received a complaint about Modise's farm and the treatment of her animals.
The court dismissed the matter due to insufficient evidence.
Advocate Gerrie Nel says they decided to approach the NSPCA after the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) decided not to further pursue the matter.
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"We approached the NSPCA. We had discussions and the NSPCA were really committed and communicated to us that they believe there was a case and they want to pursue the matter," Nel explains.
Nel says they managed to back up the original claims with more evidence and witnesses.
The NSPCA applied to privately prosecute under their own name but that Afriforum is pursuing the matter on their behalf.
He says he hopes the case will be heard within the next three months.
The NSPCA's Marcelle Meredith says they received the green light to privately prosecute from the Constitutional Court in 2016.
"Private prosecutions are very expensive and we do have the funding to take this, so we are absolutely grateful to Gerrie Nel.”