How now brown cow...!
The Grahamstown Residents’ Association (GRA) has made significant progress in assisting Makana Municipality to control stray livestock in Grahamstown. At a meeting convened by the GRA representatives of a wide range of government and civil society organisations agreed on a six-month Action Plan aimed at removing wandering animals from our streets and pavements.
The meeting held at City Hall on 3 May, was a follow up to the petition that the GRA presented to Executive Mayor Nomhle Gaga in October last year. At that time, she identified controlling stray livestock as a high priority for Makana Municipality.
Farm animals roaming the streets of Grahamstown present a danger to residents and create an unhygienic environment. The aesthetic merits of attractively patterned Nguni cattle splattering the roads with their unsightly cowpats are up for debate, but the health hazards of urban livestock are real and cannot be disputed, while donkeys loitering in the streets at night have caused several serious vehicle accidents in recent years. All kinds of farm animals regularly rip open garbage bags; strewing their contents on pavements. Moreover, the cows munch on lovingly tended gardens.
Historically, the local au- thorities have worked with the local SPCA so that its pound could be used to keep confiscated animals, but a lack of funds and problems with security have caused the local pound to fall in to a state of disrepair. Efforts to restore the pound have met with mixed results. There is a serious cattle, over-population in our area. There are too many cows and not enough commonage. It is hard to put numbers to the problem because the municipality does not know how many animals there are and officials appear to lack the ability to intervene.
The excessive number of cows has resulted in severe over-grazing of almost all fields in and around Grahamstown. This has brought about increasing health risks for the herds and makes them wander on to the verges of highways and roads around town.
It became clear in the 3 May meeting that the municipal officials were not familiar with the by-laws requiring them to control livestock. However, even if they were aware of what the law requires of them, they do not have appropriate resources to implement these laws.
The purpose of the meeting was therefore to prod Makana Municipal officials into dealing with the problems associated with uncontrolled livestock.
Several participants pointed to the legal precedent set in Ndlambe Municipality where a court order granted on 7 March requires the Municipality to comply with two of its own Bylaws and the four of National Acts.
Those present at the meeting preferred to avoid taking the legal route but thought it worth considering developments in Ndlambe to avert a similar situation in Grahamstown.
Key to the control of livestock is the ability to trace the animals’ owners. Traceability can be assured through branding and tagging. Branding is a legal requirement but doesn’t necessarily make the owner traceable so that even branded animals can be impounded and eventually auctioned off. Traceability is greatly enhanced when all livestock, including cattle, donkeys, pigs etc. are required to wear tags.
The GRA has launched a campaign to help Makana Municipality purchase tags that the Parks Department can issue to subsistence herders. Tags cost R15 each which means that an initial order of 1,000 tags will cost R15,000.
Makana Municipality has severe cash flow problems, so the first hurdle in getting stray livestock managed is purchasing the tags.
Since more than 1,000 people signed the GRA petition – if each signatory donated R20, it would cover the costs of the tags and other expenses that inevitably arise.
Come on Grahamstown - let's do this! Make your donation to the GRA, Standard bank account 183117247, branch 051001; (Please put reference 'STRAY')
The GRA will do its best to keep all residents updated about this issue.
In addition to this material assistance, Dr Tony Palmer of the Agricultural Research Council has offered his valuable time to meet with stock owners to help them improve their management skills. He will show the stock owners how proper herd management can enhance the value of their cattle and so work in their long terms interest.