Move to keep stray animals off the roads

A new policy that would help manage stray animals and keep them off the roads is being developed by the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality.

The stray animals and impound management policy will act as a blueprint for how the municipality manages roaming cattle and impounded animals.

At present, the city only has a by-law for public health nuisances and nuisances arising from keeping animals in residential areas.

The only municipal pound in the Bay is run by the Society for the Prevention of Animals Cruelty (SPCA).

The pound was closed between September and December due to non-payment.

The decision to draw up a policy follows a benchmarking exercise with Cape Town in August 2018.

At Tuesday’s public health portfolio committee meeting, councillors urged the municipality to draw up the policy as soon as possible.

Initially, public health acting executive director Tsietsi Mokonenyane said the draft policy would be ready in two months, but councillors said that was too far off.

DA councillor Rene Meyer said she was concerned that officials were recommending that a framework be developed while there was no policy in place.

“Currently, there is not even a single policy on how we deal with stray animals,” she said.

“We cannot develop a framework which tells you how to implement a policy which does not yet exist.

“There should be a policy for which we need to develop a framework.”

She said the city should work on a policy first and set deadlines for the draft to be presented to the committee.

ANC councillor Nontuthuzelo Skweyiya said the policy was long overdue.

“This policy was supposed to be drafted a long time ago.

“It bewilders me that at this juncture we don’t have a policy. We need to make sure that this policy is drafted and comes to this committee so that we have a framework to follow on the issue of stray animals.”

Mokonenyane said the draft policy would not be ready before the next committee meeting in three weeks’ time.

“I agree with councillors – a policy is needed before we can get into a framework and the sooner we draft the policy the better because a lot of animals are roaming the city as we speak.”

Mokonenyane said realistically a draft policy would be presented to the committee in about two months’ time.

“This process will take time because we have to consult with all the other departments.

“It should be ready in about two months’ time.”

However, Meyer said: “I don’t understand why a policy that is supposed to be in place can only be drafted in the next quarter.

“We have pigs and other animals that are running into cars. This is a safety hazard for residents.”

Committee chair Yolisa Pali asked that a process plan be presented to the committee at the next meeting.

“Currently, we have a way to deal with stray animals.

“We are dealing with them for now,” Pali said.

‘Pigs and other animals are running into cars. This is a safety hazard’ Rene Meyer

DA COUNCILLOR