The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has secured an urgent interim interdict in the Grahamstown High Court against inter alia, Al Mawashi and the Kuwaiti company who owns the Al Messilah vessel.
The case was heard on an urgent basis on Tuesday, following the unexpected arrival of the Al Messilah vessel, in East London.
The NSPCA had already applied for an interdict against Al Mawashi and the Kuwaiti company and the application was set down for the 16th of July.
The organisation says, however, that when it heard the vessel was approaching the South African coastline, it moved swiftly in conjunction with its legal team to ensure that an urgent application was heard prior to the loading of some 70 000 sheep destined for the Middle East.
According to Tuesday's interim interdict, Al Mawashi and the Kuwaiti company may not transport any sheep from the feedlot, nor export any sheep from South Africa, pending the outcome of the Court hearing on the 16th of July.
Executive Director Marcelle Meredith says the NSPCA remains strongly opposed to the live export of animals by sea.
