INSIGHTS

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has under section 15(3) of the National Forests Act, (“the Act”), declared that the trees as set out in the schedule to the aforementioned notice to be protected species in terms of section 12(1)(d) of the Act. In terms of the declaration no person may cut, disturb, damage or destroy any protected tree or possess, collect, remove, transport, export, purchase, sell, donate or in any other manner acquire or dispose of any protected tree or any product derived from a protected tree, except under a licence or exemption granted by the Minister to an applicant and subject to such period and conditions as may be stipulated, this in terms of section 15(1) of the Act. Contravention of this declaration is regarded as a first category offence that may result in a person who is found guilty being sentenced to a fine or imprisonment (for a period up to three years) or to both a fine and imprisonment.