The NSPCA has obtained an urgent interim court order compelling Daybreak Foods to immediately halt inhumane culling practices and provide adequate feed to hundreds of thousands of starving birds at its Limpopo breeder farms in Bela-Bela and Mookgopong.
The order, issued by the Gauteng Division of the High Court on Saturday, 10 May 2025, follows an emergency application by the NSPCA after a whistleblower alerted inspectors to shocking conditions at two previously undisclosed Daybreak facilities. Approximately 594 000 breeder birds were found to be suffering from starvation, cannibalism, and extreme neglect.
The NSPCA says Daybreak Foods had used untrained casual workers to kill compromised birds by violently swinging them by their heads – an illegal and inhumane method, especially traumatic for larger breeder birds weighing up to 5kg.
“This is not just a failure of farming practices – it is a collapse of basic ethical standards,” said senior inspector Nazareth Appalsamy.
“The breeder birds are not only starving, they are suffering immensely. Daybreak must now comply lawfully, or face contempt of court proceedings.”
Nazareth Appalsamy
The court order directs Daybreak Foods to:
- Immediately cease all inhumane culling;
- Provide appropriate and sufficient feed for all birds;
- Halt any further breeding or chick placements;
- Submit a detailed plan to resolve the animal welfare crisis.
The NSPCA now has unfettered access to Daybreak’s facilities and has deployed its full inspectorate to the affected sites to carry out emergency interventions.
This latest development adds to the growing crisis engulfing Daybreak Foods, which is already under intense scrutiny from both government and labour stakeholders over its financial collapse, unpaid worker salaries, and failed management practices.
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On Friday, 9 May 2025, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) announced an urgent reallocation of R74 million – originally intended for capital projects – to fund essential operating expenses, including staff salaries and feed for livestock. This follows a previous R176 million lifeline granted in February, bringing total PIC support to R250 million.
Yet criticism has mounted. The Cosatu and its affiliate SACTWU, which represents Daybreak workers, have condemned the company’s systemic failures and demanded accountability from the PIC, Daybreak’s sole shareholder.
‘Human and animal crisis’
Workers report months of salary non-payment, lack of UIF documentation, and silent or vanishing leadership.
“There is no room for blame-shifting while workers’ salaries are unpaid,” Cosatu said in a statement over the weekend. “Workers cannot be offered impersonal explanations that will not put food on the table.”
Cosatu is also calling on the department of employment and labour to intervene, warning that the company’s actions violate the ethical investment principles that guide the use of workers’ pension funds.
The twin crises – of human and animal welfare – now present a formidable test for Daybreak’s newly embattled leadership. The PIC says it is working to strengthen Daybreak’s board and expects management to produce a credible turnaround strategy that averts job losses and restores operational integrity.
Meanwhile, the NSPCA warns that their emergency operations – now expanded to two major breeder farms – are putting immense financial strain on the non-profit, which is appealing for public support to continue protecting animals amid what it calls an “unimaginable” crisis.
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