Muni to tackle stray animals
Makana Municipality is in the process of crafting a plan to deal with the growing concern stray animals seen roaming all around the town on a daily basis.
The matter was discussed in some detail during the Social Development Portfolio Committee Meeting in the municipal chambers on Wednesday. Speaking during the meeting, DA chief whip Brian Fargher who is a member of the committee raised concerns about the work that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) does for the municipality.
Fargher wanted to know if the municipality was compensating the SPCA in any way for the work they do around Ma- kana. Fargher expressed concern over the growing number of livestock roaming the streets. In response to Fargher’s question Makana Municipality’s Social Services director Mandisi Planga said this was something that has been discussed and they would present a full report to the committee. In their discussions Planga said they were considering two options. They are considering either to subsidise the SPCA and ensure that the pound is licensed or to manage their own animal pound.
Planga told the meeting that they were considering visiting various municipalities, such as Lukhanji Municipality, which runs its own animal pound to get a first hand account of how they manage it.
Parks and Recreation man- ager Jeff Budaza said there was an agreement signed in 1996 in which R50 000 is budgeted for the SPCA, however, Budaza said this money does not get to the SPCA because of the municipality’s financial situation.
“The maintenance costs of the SPCA are taken care of by the municipality,” he said.
Budaza said 90 percent of the fees made from the pound go directly to the SPCA and they redirect the municipality’s portion.
ANC chief whip Mabhuti Matyumza who also serves in the committee said he was happy that Planga had raised the issue of licensing the pound. Matyumza said stray animals had become a societal issue because there are livestock owners who don’t take adequate care of their animals. “I’m also happy that the director has suggested that the report be brought to this committee,” he said.
The committee considered a recommendation in the agenda that states that Budaza should convene one-on-one meetings with stakeholders such as the SPCA to discuss escalating the problem of roaming animals with the relevant authorities.
Chairing the meeting Portfolio Committee chairperson Phumla Matyumza emphasised the need for the committee to work together with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the problem of stray animals was dealt with.
The meeting also served as an opportunity for officials to introduce themselves to the councillors who form part of the committee. Other issues that were discussed were overtime within the Parks and Recreation department; the municipality's disaster management plan which was last reviewed in 2009; and the fact that the municipality hasn't had any capital expenditure for three years. Temporary houses that were built after the 2008 disaster in areas like Scott's Farm were in a appalling state, according to Fargher.
Other issues included a shortage of books in Makana libraries as a result of not having received books from the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) for about three years.
Assistant Director of Makana Libraries, Patricia Vubela revealed that the mobile library that is meant to serve rural ar- eas had been involved in an accident and subsequently written off. Vubela said they get R4 million from the DSRAC and they would use some of that money to replace the damaged mobile library. Vubela also indicated that it wasn’t clear when the Duna and Hill Street libraries, which are currently closed for renovations, would be re-opened.
Manager of Makana Municipality’s Fire Services William Welkom raised concerns about the fact that Riebeeck East and Alicedale were still without their own fire stations. Welkom said the fire fighters have to respond from Grahamstown to serve these areas. He also suggested that the old fire station in Grahamstown East be re-opened.