January 28, 2003
By Bongani Majola
ON Friday last week Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs Mary Metcalfe became a permanent friend of the Johannesburg Zoo.
Metcalfe earned this accolade after handing over seven rare African parrots confiscated by the Gauteng government in a foiled illegal smuggling of the birds from the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Johannesburg International Airport last year.
The parrots, five African grey and two Jardine, were perched comfortably on a tree on the occasion, despite a persistent drizzle. The parrots are listed as rare endangered species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
"We promise the MEC to look after the birds and assure her that they are being taken care of by our bird experts," said CEO of Johannesburg Zoo Thembi Mogoai.
Metcalfe joins other luminaries, private companies and members of the conservation industry who have publicly been associated with the Johannesburg Zoo.
They include Anglo Gold, wildlife author and Johannesburg Zoo's member of the board of directors Dr John Ledger and well-known Johannesburg socialite Edith Venter.
