Cart horses help reduce poverty

Industry reduces crime, gang involvement

FOR 100 people on the Cape Flats interviewed in a new study, the use of cart horses can earn the anything from R300 to R900 a day, enough money to support more than 700 people

Cart horses represent a unique Cape heritage only found here.

They have been found to help to reduce poverty and carbon emissions in recent study by the Wits Health Consortium, the South African Equine Health Fund and the Cart Horse Protection Association.

The study found that 163 cart horses or cartie, as they are affectionately known, collect and transport scrap metal, remove garden refuse, transport goods and sell different items.

South African Equine Health Fund senior researcher John Grewar said the average income of R287 per day per participant does not take into account paying for shoes or feed for the horse, a driver paying the owner for the use of the horse or hiring a guard to help with the work.

“The income is low but many residents of the Cape Flats have no income at all.

“The horses provide an income and help people out of unemployment thereby reducing crime and gang violence.

“Without the cart horse industry fewer families would be surviving while scrap metal and garden refuse would otherwise be transported by vehicles with far higher carbon emissions which impact negatively on the environment,” Grewar said.

Many of the horses are stabled in the Cape Flats, but work across Cape Town’s neighbourhoods.

They may travel more than 17km in a day, though the average daily distance is 7.2km. While the further the horse travels, the more money can be earned, there is a negative impact on horse shoes and horse carts.

“The distances travelled and the types of loads carried can place significant strain on these working horses, but with the help of the Cart Horse Protection Association, the welfare of the horses is carefully monitored,” Grewar said.

Cart Horse Protection Association spokesperson Marike Kotzé said: “We are involved in educating horse owners, drivers and operators so that only healthy horses are used on the carts. We provide veterinary services and treatments, shoeing and feed at subsidised prices.

“We have seen a great improvement in the levels of cart horse welfare.”

Th association is a non-profit Cape Town based animal welfare organisation and requires funds from citizens and companies to keep functioning.

Donate at www.carthorse.org.za/ make-a-donation/ or the Cart Horse Protection Association, Nedbank cheque account number 104 639 5998 branch 104 609.