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20 March 2009

The Department of Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affairs will be hosting the Game Auction from 3 to 4 April 2009 at Willem Pretorius Nature Reserve. This is the 24th auction and the oldest government auction in South Africa, which attracts about 200 buyers from all over South Africa and abroad.

During this two day event 1 480 animals will be sold to the highest bidder. The game will range from blesbok, buffalo, white rhino, springbuck, etc. This game auction is catalogue based and is divided into hunting packages and live animals. This year, the department will put on auction 649 live animals and 831 carcass packages. The buyers include private nature reserves, professional hunters and outfitters, game farmers, game dealers and sports hunters.

The game auction is part of the game management plan which manages game population. Currently the department has got the livestock of 26 706 animals in the reserves. With the absence of predators in the reserves, game auction remains the most viable method of controlling game population.

The auction contributes towards poverty reduction by creating job opportunities for our people. For this event, 24 game captures and security officers have been employed as contract workers.

As part of the department's transformation of game industry, emphasis is put on those previously disadvantaged individuals, by providing animals or land to black farmers with adequate resources and interest to participate in this industry. It is well known that this kind of business needs high capital inputs however effort has been made to make farmers aware that throughput is higher per hector on game than any other farming. Through this initiative of supporting black farmers, the province has three black game farmers established in Smithfield, Tweespruit and Paul Roux.

As part of this game auction there will be mountain bike race, marathon, food stalls, beer tent and crafters to create a festive atmosphere and also present an opportunity for crafters and business people to exhibit and sell their products.

This will help to directly put income into the hands of these business people whilst contributing to the economy of the province. The Marathon and bicycle race draw visitors to the auction by giving them something to look forward to.

In 2008 game auction was a great success with an income to the value of R17 million generated, with the highest bid paid for the four year old white rhino for R255 000.

MEC for Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affairs, Mxolisi Dukwana, will officially open the auction and welcome the guests on 4 April 2009 at 11h00.

The auction will start with a marathon at 06h00, auction of live game at 11h00 followed by mountain bike race at 12h00. Amongst other participants, there will be schools, churches, sport clubs and local communities that will lease stalls to raise finds for their organisations. The stalls for public viewing and buying will be open for both days.

For more information contact:
Mr Ramokoena, Mr Senokoatsane, Mr Maloale and Ms Ntsane
Tel: 051 400 9550

Issued by: Department of Tourism Environmental and Economic Affairs, Free State Provincial Government
20 March 2009
Source: Department of Tourism Environmental and Economic Affairs, Free State Provincial Government (http://www.dteea.fs.gov.za)