South Africa’s top court lifts ban on domestic sales in rhino horn

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s top court has dismissed an appeal by the department of environmental affairs to keep a moratorium on the domestic trade in rhino horn, according to court documents seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

Pelham Jones, chairman of South Africa’s Private Rhino Owners Association which was one of the respondents in the case, told Reuters this meant that the sale of rhino horns was legal in South Africa.

A global ban in the horn trade, which is regulated by a U.N.  convention, remains in place.

(Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by James Macharia)