What’s that smell in Dennydale?

Dennydale residents complain of smell from farm; farmer says it is something that needs to be done in order for him to continue his farming.

A few of the many piles of manure on Jaco Reid's farm.

Residents of Dennydale have been complaining about a horrid smell in the air and say they are at their wits’ end.

Pottie Potgieter, a resident of the area, came forward after experiencing the smell for what he said has been a week.

“I usually leave my sliding door open at night because of the heat. But with the smell out there, I can’t open any of my doors or windows or the smell gets in,” Potgieter said.

Potgieter traced the smell to a farm near his home which has heaps and heaps of manure on it which is to be used for farming purposes.

Pottie Potgieter, the complainant outside the source of the horrid smell in a section of Dennydale. Photo: Roxy de Villiers

He said he understands it’s a farm but doesn’t understand why the manure has not been worked into the ground yet.

“I spoke to our ward councillor who said manure needs to be worked into the ground within 24 hours of its arrival and at the latest within 48 hours,” Potgieter said.

The Herald approached the farmer, Jaco Reid, who said the manure should not smell after a week, which has already passed. He also said the reason nothing had been done about digging the manure in because they were delivering the manure for a week.

He further explained how big his farm is and said that working the manure into the ground will take more than just one day. To add to his woes, some of his machinery is not working as it should, which could cause a further delay.

In the end, Reid said, he is a farmer and while he understands there is a stench, it is something that needs to be done in order for him to continue his farming.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.