Minister to meet Sizwe Kupelo Foundation over call for pit bull ban

Agriculture, land reform and rural development minister Thoko Didiza has agreed to meet the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation to accept its petition with 139,000 signatures calling for the ban of pit bulls as domestic pets.

In an email sent to the foundation’s founder, Sizwe Kupelo, Didiza’s chief of staff, Moloiwa Phosa, said the matter had been brought to the minister’s attention.

“The minister has agreed that we should grant you a meeting to present the petition,” he wrote.

Phosa said he would advise Kupelo of the date of the meeting soon.

Kupelo said yesterday the foundation was looking forward to the meeting and hoped fora meaningful engagement on the issue.

“We are going to take this opportunity and resubmit hard copies of the 139,000 signatures supporting our petition,” he said.

Didiza has the authority to promulgate new regulations in terms of the Animal Protection Act.

Kupelo urged her to ensure the petition, which was started two months ago, was taken to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the cabinet for discussion and the National Assembly for action.

After the death of 10-yearold Storm Nuku, killed by his family’s pit bulls in Gqeberha, Kupelo wrote to police minister Bheki Cele, health minister Dr Joe Phaahla and Didiza requesting an intervention.

Kupelo said he did not know Nuku personally but had to step up because his foundation was established to help the vulnerable.

“South Africans are vulnerable as long as these animals are allowed to live in their homes.”

He has called for the castration of male pit bulls and the sterilisation of female pit bulls.

The foundation also wants the “unpredictable dogs” to be removed from all South African homes.

“The call to ban pit bulls in SA comes as other countries — like Russia, Finland, Denmark, the UK, Portugal, parts of Germany, parts of China, parts of Brazil and parts of Australia — have either banned, put restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation,” Kupelo said.

“It is time that the government takes decisive steps and imposes a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths.

“We cannot continue sending out messages of condolences for something that can easily be prevented.”