Advocate Gerrie Nel, Head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, is prosecuting Modise privately on behalf of the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA). 

Afriforum says in a release that during recess, a representative of the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO), however, delayed the continuation of the proceedings by disrupting the court and shouting that he wanted to break Nel’s nose. According to this man, the prosecution of the Speaker of Parliament for the death of pigs is a waste of time, and the police removed the man from the court.  

Head Investigator of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, Andrew Leask, says the prosecuting team called two witnesses, Warrant Officer Andrew Serame and Grace de Lange (of the Farm Animal Protection Unit of the NSPCA).
 
De Lange testified that this was one of the worst cases of cruelty to animals that she has come across in her career of almost 20 years. She testified that she saw how pigs drank their own and each other’s urine, because there was no water or food. 

Other pigs also charged a sow that gave birth and devoured the litter immediately after birth. “It shows just how desperate the animals were. More than 250 animals suffered at Modise’s farm, Modderfontein, due to malnutrition and the NSPCA had to kill several animals because they were in such a bad condition.”

Release