Farm animals not allowed in town yards
Farm animals can only be kept on land zoned as agricultural.
People living in towns may not keep livestock in their yards. Residents of Welverdiend recently complained that people living in 18th Avenue and 17th Street keep livestock like cattle, sheep and goats in their yards. Some town yards even have horses.
“Many years ago, I when I was living one of the plots, a health inspector warned me that my cattle kraal must be 100 m from my house. How is it that these people can now keep livestock as they please?” one resident complained.
The Herald investigated the allegations and did, indeed, see livestock in a yard on 18th Avenue. The Herald asked the Merafong City Local Municipality about the matter.
“Animals in urban areas are governed by the West Rand District Municipality’s Health and Social Development Department,” the municipal spokesperson replied.
They referred the newspaper to Mr Jannie Vermaak, the relevant official dealing with this issue at a district level.
“No. Such animals are not allowed to be kept on land that it not zoned as agricultural land,” says Vermaak.
He added that although his department had not received any complaints about the matter in Welverdiend thus far, they would act once they had the correct addresses.
