Beekeeping By-laws in South Africa
Johannesburg Metropolitan By-Laws for Beekeeping
It is legitimate to keep bees in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipal area if you have a permit to do so.
Below is a copy of the by-laws in Johannesburg Metro pertaining to beekeeping in this area. If you intend taking up beekeeping in this manner then it is advisable that you attend a beginner beekeeping course.
BY-LAWS
The keeping of bees in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area is controlled by the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality Public Health By-Laws, (Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 179 dated 21 May 2004, Notice 830 of 2004).
The General Provisions for the keeping of bees is as follows:
Requirements for keeping of bees
- No person may keep bees on any premises unless –
- that person is the holder of a permit authorizing that activity; and
- every bee hive is situated –
- a minimum of five metres from any boundary of the premises; and
- a minimum of twenty metres from any public place or building used for human habitation or from any place used for the keeping of animals, poultry and birds;
- the bees are kept in an approved bee hive; and
- the bee hive is –
- kept in an area inaccessible to children and animals;
- kept in the shade at all times; and
- supplied with a source of drinking water within five metres of the hive.
- No person may dump or deposit any garbage, compost, grass cuttings or manure within five metres of any bee hive.
It is important for beekeepers to register with SABIO the beekeeping industry organisation in South Africa.
If you want to start beekeeping in the Johannesburg metropolitan you must become familiar with the the by-laws of the metro. These are bee rules made in order to keep people safe as well as give guidelines for all beekeeping sites
Although beekeeping regulation is not well enforced if an accident or injury is caused to the public and you as beekeeper don’t have a beekeeping permit nor did you keep to the beekeeping by-laws you would suffer the regulatory punishments
Moral of the story is that you should be aware and practice the bee rules, bee law and by-laws of the Johannesburg Metro.