Mooi River residents are afraid that urban animal agriculture is rapidly taking over the town. Urban animal agriculture refers to the keeping of farm animals in urban and per-urban areas and includes cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.
“We live in unhygienic conditions. Goats and cows wander around the streets and near our homes and litter, dung and urine are all over the area,” said a resident. “Cattle and goats are being kept just a few metres from my home. The cow-dung and urine produce a very bad smell, which makes us very uncomfortable,” said a resident. Another resident raised their concern, that the livestock often cause traffic obstructions. “We are unhappy about this, and nothing is being done about it.
Our town now looks like a farm as it is being flooded by farm animals, they are just everywhere,” said the resident in frustration.
“This is extremely unhygienic. We can no longer keep gardens as these animals lurk on our front lawn grazing all day,” said a resident firmly.
Riversdale residents also agreed that it’s a health hazard for both the animals and residents. Members of the community have asked municipal officials to take measures against people keeping cattle near homes, stressing it was a risk to others. They have been told there aren’t any by-laws or a policy for keeping animals within an urban area. Residents would like for a committee of inspectors to be formed to investigate the matter.
Residents are sure that inspectors would find that these animals pose a danger to people’s health as well as the environment. They plead that necessary action be taken and that the animals be transferred to other places designated for keeping livestock. A response from the Mpofana Municipality was not received at the time of going to print.
