Cape Town, Western Cape - Beauty Without Cruelty South Africa (BWC) will be holding a series of peaceful, lawful protests this weekend at the McLaren Circus site in Milnerton, as public concern intensifies around the continued use of animals in travelling circuses and the City’s response to the issue.

The protests, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday between 14:00 and 15:00, follow weeks of sustained public engagement, viral social media traction, and direct correspondence with City officials, including the Mayor and the Chair of the Safety and Security Portfolio Committee.

Despite this, BWC confirms that no substantive response has been received from the Mayor’s office following formal communication sent on April 17, and key questions posed to the City remain unanswered.

“This is no longer just about the circus,” said Chad Cupido, Executive Officer of BWC South Africa. “It is about accountability. The public has spoken clearly, yet the circus continues to operate, and the City has failed to provide transparent answers on permitting, land use, and enforcement.”

BWC has raised specific concerns regarding the apparent use of City-controlled land in Milnerton, questioning how permissions were granted in light of the City’s stated direction toward stronger animal welfare protections through its pending Animal Keeping Bylaw.

While the City has indicated that it is moving toward improved regulation and oversight, BWC maintains that there is a growing disconnect between these stated intentions and the reality on the ground.

Recent visual evidence from the Milnerton site, as well as prior footage from other Cape Town locations, has further intensified concern. Reports include animals being kept in confined conditions with limited natural cover, raising questions about compliance with basic welfare standards.

BWC has confirmed that these concerns have been formally escalated to the SPCA for urgent investigation.

The organisation also notes that its public campaign has now reached substantial scale. On Facebook alone, BWC has around 17,000 followers, and in the past month its circus-related content has generated approximately half a million views across platforms. Based on engagement patterns, share volume, and BWC’s audience size, the organisation estimates that the highlighted posts below alone may account for roughly 330,000 of those views.

𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗚𝗡 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗

Recent public-facing posts include the following:

Published April 23, 2026
𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗘𝗡𝗗 – 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻 | 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 | 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BJci87Uxg/
This post received 136 shares.

Published April 15, 2026
𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗢𝗥 | 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗞𝗘𝗡. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗗.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18aKTUVbfS/
This post received 277 shares and is still growing.

Published April 7, 2026
𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬’𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FWA3Pu6Sm/
This post received 57 shares.

Published March 31, 2026
A video post showing a tiger pacing back and forth.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1EW2B7THYz/
This post received 124 shares.

Published March 27, 2026
𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗦𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗔 𝗕𝗬𝗟𝗔𝗪 𝗜𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚. 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗔 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗟 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗢.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ApuLcDgjY/
This post received 73 shares.

Taken together, these highlighted posts alone received 667 shares, indicating unusually strong public circulation and concern for an organisation of BWC’s size.

BWC says the public response has not been limited to passive viewing. Across comments, messages, meeting participation, and direct outreach, members of the public have repeatedly raised concerns about animals in cages, animals being used for entertainment, possible City complicity, and the contradiction between public animal welfare commitments and what is being permitted in practice.

Public commentary has also reflected a broader ethical discomfort with the idea that wild animals are still being transported, confined, and trained to perform for human entertainment in 2026. Many supporters have expressed the view that Cape Town should be moving decisively away from this model, not accommodating it.

“This weekend is a critical moment,” Cupido added. “We are calling on the public to move beyond online engagement and stand physically in support of this cause. We are aiming for 100 people at the protest, something we have never achieved before, and it is now within reach.”

BWC emphasised that all protests will be conducted peacefully, in full compliance with the Regulation of Gatherings Act, and with respect for public safety. At the same time, the organisation is clear that the demonstrations now carry a dual purpose: to oppose the use of animals in circuses, and to hold the City accountable for its lack of response and enforcement.

“There is a strong sense that this could be the last chapter for animal circuses in Cape Town,” said Cupido. “But that outcome depends on whether the City is willing to act, and whether the public is willing to show up.”

BWC has called on the City of Cape Town to provide immediate clarity on the status of the Milnerton site, review any permits granted, and take decisive steps to align practice with stated policy.

PR submitted by BWC
Published by Anchen Coetzee