South Africa’s supporting the resolutions by Namibia and Zimbabwe to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species allowing them to sell their ivory stockpiles.

The Southern African states are being opposed by the majority of the 29 African states with elephant populations who want an immediate and total ban on the sale of ivory and the destruction of stockpiled tusks.

Zambia’s permanent secretary for tourism Steve Mwansa says poachers are spurred to take their destructive action by local communities not benefiting from the elephants they live with.

“We have turned a generation of young men and women into criminals, making them poachers for which they are imprisoned for long periods,” he said

The proposals are not expected to be passed by the CITES conference of the parties now underway in Sandton

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