Animal shelter under threat from invaders

A KHAYELITSHA animal charity organisation is the latest to be affected by mass land invasions in the metro.

The South African Mass Animal Sterilisation Trust managing director Temsin Nel said the facility was under threat from a shack-farming syndicate that had seized the land surrounding the clinic, hospital and shelter and had threatened staff and local residents.

Two dogs recently died after they were knocked down as a result of a constant flow of vehicles dropping off builders and materials to build shacks.

“One attempted break-in has already taken place and our road and animal ambulance entrances have been repeatedly blocked.

“The ringleaders driving expensive cars and those employed by the ringleaders, have made aggressive and clear threats of violence, including threats to burn the facility down, and death threats to our staff, who now fear coming to work,” she said.

“Shack fires are another problem in Khayelitsha and to have these shacks so close to the clinic, where there are patients and medical equipment, places an enormous risk to our health and our assets. While 80% of these shacks are still yet to be occupied, when they are, diseases and infections are going to be rife,” she said. |