BECKER SEMALA

More than R8, 5 million was raise by the Free State Department of Tourism, Economic and Environmental Affairs in mid-April with a game reserve animal auction at Willem Pretorius game reserve.

The Provincial Acting Deputy Director General of Tourism, Economic and Environmental Affairs Letitia van Rensburg said this annual auction was held for the 25th year and animals consisting of buffalos, rhinos, elands and springboks which were auctioned were collected from all fourteen game reserves owned by the department.  She said the main aim of the annual auction was to reduce the high number of animals from government game reserves to be extended to various game farmers around the province.

Van Rensburg said this auction has been held successfully at Willem Pretorius game reserve since the start of the auction. “It is in the middle of Free State and in the vicinity of the N1 and they never thought of changing the auction place.” The money raised belongs to the department.   The Auction Coordinator, Flip Crouse, said this year’s auction consisted of the hunting packages and eight buffalos were sold. The highest buffalo was sold for R100 000 and the lowest for R 65 000.

He said they hoped to make R1, 4 million on the first day of the auction but they made R2, 3 million and on the second day they raised R6,2 million which made the total of R 8,5 million. He said 23 buffalos were sold and the highest price for a rhino was R90 000.