Four women were remanded in custody after they appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on November 30 in connection with lion cubs found in their possession.
It is alleged they were trying to sell the cats, worth about R30 000, when they were arrested on the corner of Trichardts and Massel roads on November 29. The women are aged 22, 25, 27 and 46.
Two of them are from the same address in Mulbarton and the other two are from the same address in Stilfontein.
The case was postponed to December 6 for a bail application.
Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha said that their unit reacted to a tip-off they received from crime intelligence on November 28.
“Following surveillance, a search and seizure operation netted the four women in Trichardts Road, Boksburg North. Three lion cubs, estimated to be about five weeks old, were rescued and taken to a vet,” he said.
There are two charges against the women, namely “carry out a restricted activity involving threatened/protected species without a permit”. The alternative charge to count one is “unlawful purchase of specially protected game”.
They are accused of being in contravention of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (no. 10 of 2004).
Boksburg SPCA manager Vicky Finnemore said the society is shocked and horrified that these animals were ‘casually’ sold on a street corner of a residential area in Boksburg.
“We are happy the perpetrators were arrested and hope that justice prevails. One can only wonder what has become of the mother of these cubs,” she said.
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