A stern warning has been issued to livestock owners that their animals will be impounded if they are left to wander unattended on public roads.
Kouga Executive Mayor Elza van Lingen said roaming animals were a threat to public safety and had been highlighted as a matter of concern by residents.
“Our new Social Services Portfolio Councillor, Danny Benson, has been leading investigations to find a lasting solution,” she said.
“He has already engaged with roleplayers such as livestock owners in order to get a better understanding of the challenges and is working closely with the municipality’s law enforcement unit to identify and implement solutions.”
She said one of the challenges identified, was the easy availability of calves for purchase.
“This means that when animals are impounded, livestock owners simply buy new calves as this is cheaper than paying the fine and transporting their confiscated cattle from the pound at Loerie.
If we are going to stop this from happening, we need the support of the wider farming community and will be engaging with them as well,” she said.
She said the municipality also did not have a truck and trailer available for regular sweep-up operations. An interim arrangement will be made while the acquisition of a truck and trailer will be addressed as part of the five-year fleet replacement plan, currently under development.
The keeping of livestock is subject to municipal by-laws such as the Road and Traffic by-law and Prevention of Public Nuisance and Keeping of Animals by-law.
In terms of municipal notice 109/2016, published on 13 October, livestock owners have been granted seven days to comply with the by-laws, failing which their animals will be impounded.
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