Livestock threat to R67 traffic

The Department of Transport has called on livestock owners in the Ndlambe municipal area to secure their animals.

This follows one driver’s lucky escape on the R67 to Makhanda, 4km from Port Alfred, last Friday night.

Talk of the Town spoke to a shocked VuyaniMxuma around 6pm on Friday 20 May. Mxuma, a long-distance taxi driver who had just set off from Port Alfred for Makhanda, had just hit a cow in the road.

The cow, flung sideways, seemed to have escaped serious injury and Ndlambe emergency services personnel, who were managing the scene, had called the SPCA to attend to it.

However, the left front side of Mxuma’s vehicle was crushed and emergency personnel were assisting him to arrange for towing.

The incident could have been a lot worse and TotT asked questions of the Department, Ndlambe, local commonage farmers and organised agriculture.

A commonage farmer who lives in Nemato blamed the rampant theft of fencing for the fact that their livestock wander on to the busy regional road.

He asked to remain anonymous because he belongs to a commonage farmers’ cooperative and did not want to be seen breaching protocol.

“All the fences have been removed that used to close in the commonage,” the farmer said. “And the fence thieves don’t stop at that – they go on to steal pineapples, small livestock, anything they can find.”

As far as formal agriculture was concerned, TotT was referred to AgriEC. Spokesperson Brent Mc Namara said the organisation was not able to comment at the moment because litigation on the issue was at a sensitive stage.

Department of Transport spokesperson UnathiBinqose said: “We have had rangers in some hotspots in the province; however, we would like to call on animal owners to look after their assets – their livestock – that often stray on to the roads.”

Binqose said the Department was looking at impounding animals, as well as rehabilitating fencing along the province ’ s road network.

“But more than anything, we urge owners to please look after their assets.”

TotT asked Ndlambe

Municipality to what extent the local municipality carries the responsibility of the management of stray animals on the R67.

Through spokesperson Cecil Mbolekwa, Ndlambe said: “The municipality doesn’t own domestic animals, but when animals stray and are reported to the municipality, attempts are made to remove said animals by means of impoundment to Alexandria.

“Animal pound fines are issued to cattle owners when they collect said animals.”

Mbolekwa urged all members of the public, businesses and the police to report stray animals.

“Ultimately it is the responsibility of animal owners to secure their animals so they don’t stray.”

On the theft of fencing, Mbolekwa emphasised that is a criminal offence.

“It is theft and [hence] the competency of the South African Police Service,” Mbolekwa said.

“Owners whose fences are stolen should report it to SAPS.

“As a municipality we have a procedure when fences are damaged or vandalised that border private farms and municipal properties.”