A heartbreaking court ruling has dealt another blow to Johannesburg Zoo’s three elephants but thousands of South Africans are determined to keep fighting for their future.
Johannesburg, South Africa (19 October 2026) – For years, South Africans have been fighting for 3 elephants living at the Johannesburg Zoo. Their names are Lammie, Mopane and Ramadiba. Their story has captured the hearts of thousands who believe these magnificent animals deserve a better life. There have been campaigns, petitions, legal battles and growing calls for their relocation. And while the latest development is a heartbreaking setback, this story is far from over.
There is still something we can do to help.
Good Things Guy has been following their plight for years, reporting on the efforts of animal welfare organisations and the growing pressure for change. The DA, ActionSA and the NSPCA have also supported calls for a better future for the elephants.
On Friday, the 16th of October 2026, the High Court in Pretoria dismissed an application brought by the EMS Foundation, Animal Law Reform South Africa and Chief Stephen Fritz, which sought to relocate the elephants to a suitable facility for rehabilitation and potential rewilding. Importantly, the ruling was based on legal and administrative grounds. According to the EMS Foundation, the court did not determine that the elephants were thriving in captivity or dismiss the concerns raised about their welfare. Those questions remain unresolved, and for now, Lammie, Mopane and Ramadiba will remain at the zoo.
Elephants are highly intelligent, emotionally complex and social animals that naturally roam vast distances and form strong family bonds. Their physical and psychological well-being has been at the centre of this campaign, with advocates arguing that their current environment cannot adequately meet their needs.
There has, however, been a significant legal development. Just a week before this ruling, the Constitutional Court unanimously upheld important animal well-being protections under South Africa’s biodiversity legislation, recognising that animal welfare includes mental health and quality of life, not just physical health.
And there is another important point. The High Court’s ruling does not prevent the City of Johannesburg or Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo from voluntarily agreeing to relocate the elephants. The EMS Foundation is calling for a transparent, independently informed assessment of a suitable alternative that prioritises the animals’ long-term care.
“The outcome is deeply disappointing, but our responsibility to these elephants remains,” said Michele Pickover, Executive Director of the EMS Foundation.
“Public institutions must be willing to reconsider established practices when animals’ well-being is at stake. Lammie, Mopane and Ramadiba deserve a serious, evidence-based assessment of the possibility of a better life.”
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Nursery Upgrade Plants Massive Hope for Nature and Community Near Kruger!The Foundation is considering its legal options but South Africans don’t have to wait for another court case to make their voices heard. And this is where we can collectively help turn this into a Good Things story.
We found a petition started in 2019 by FUTURE 4 WILDLIFE, a South African not-for-profit organisation, when Ramadiba and Mopane first joined Lammie at the zoo. It has already gathered 141,317 signatures, and people are still signing. While a petition cannot force a relocation, every additional signature strengthens the message to the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo that South Africans want a better future for these elephants.
You can help by signing the petition and sharing it with your friends and family.
The court may have dismissed this application but it hasn’t closed the door on a different future for Lammie, Mopane and Ramadiba. There are still people fighting for them and organisations advocating for them.
Hopefully, one day, we’ll finally get to write the story we’ve been waiting years to tell. The one where 3 elephants get a chance at a better life… now that would be a “good things” story worth celebrating.
*The EMS Foundation has confirmed that even though the petition was not created by them, it is a good way to garner support from South Africans and people around the world.
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