Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1995-2002 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
6 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Fiona Macleod is an award-winning journalist, who worked as the Environmental reporter working for the newspaper Mail & Guardian, South Africa. She also published and edited various environmental magazines.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The papers were compiled by Fiona Macleod, who was the Environmental reporter working for the newspaper Mail & Guardian, covering the case of the Tuli Elephants at the time.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The collection contains court records, correspondence, notes and press cuttings relating to the legal matter between the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) and African Game Services / African Game Properties, held at the Magistrate's Court for the District of Brits, held at Brits.
Between 1998 and 2000, thirty wild baby elephants were forcibly removed from their mothers and families in Botswana and taken to South Africa, where their spirits were intentionally broken for captive exhibition and display to feed the trade in wild animals.
Because of the conditions under which these elephants were 'trained', a case of cruelty to animals was brought against wild-life dealer and owner of African Game Services (AGS), Riccardo Ghiazza, and his employee. Five years later they were found guilty. The legal wrangle around the Tuli elephants illustrated how weak animal protection legislation is in South Africa.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Permission has to be obtained from Fiona Macleod.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Uploaded finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Excerpts from the book "Animal Rights in South Africa", by Michele Pickover, published 2005 by Double Storey