The NSPCA has entered the fray about the Vrede Dairy Project that caught the attention of the media a few years ago, resulting in several political ramifications.
The council is about to lay charges of animal cruelty after receiving a complaint toward the end of January.
The relevant legislation is the Animals Protection Act no 71 of 1962. An investigation was conducted and a follow-up inspection was undertaken at the beginning of February.
It is not the first time the NSPCA has followed this route. In 2014, they laid charges against members of the farm after inspectors found animals suffering on the farm.
The state subsequently dropped the charges, claiming the charged party had fled to India and could no longer be traced.
ALSO READ: Dry taps spark protest in eMzinoni
According to a statement dated February 15, a herd of dairy cows was left without food, water and veterinary treatment at Estina.
Altogether, four emaciated cows were unable to move, and the NSPCA intervened, instructing the staff to contact a veterinarian.
According to information, the farm decided to contact a state veterinarian and not one in private practice.
This did not sit well with the NSPCA as the former does not work on weekends, and consequently, the animals had to be euthanised to prevent further suffering.
During the follow-up inspection, one of the cows was found with an apparent eye infection. According to the statement, maggots were eating away at the eyeball.
ALSO READ: Hoëveld fotograwe skryf beste fotos in
Two cows had to be euthanised to prevent suffering, one was struggling to breathe and unable to move for three days, while the other had a broken leg that had not healed properly.
Neither of the cows had received any recent veterinary attention. The team also found calves suffering from diarrhoea, and the medication was inadequate. According to the statement, there is an alleged shortage of medication on the farm.
Furthermore, the calves did not have sufficient access to potable drinking water or feed and were kept in dirty living conditions.
The NSCPA emphasised that access to food, water, shelter and veterinary care are basic requirements for an animal’s survival.
Owners are legally obligated to provide these necessities. The Standerton Advertiser recently contacted Keshvi Nair of the NSPCA, who said the farm will be monitored and inspected on an ongoing basis.
They urged the public to report any animal cruelty to their local SPCA or the NSPCA.
“Everyone has the power to pick up the phone to report cruelty and be the difference between an animal that suffers and an animal that is saved,” Nair concluded.
“The SPCA has the authority and power to make a difference.
“The public is assured that complaints are treated with extreme confidentiality.”
Residents of Standerton can call Stefanie Burr-Dixon at the Highveld SPCA on 072 242 9339, or send an email to comms@nspca.co.za.
Complaints can also be reported anonymously.
• The Premier of the Free State, Sisi Ntombela, handed over the Vrede Diary Project on January 14 last year to 65 local farmers for management and implementation, with oversight from a trust and executive team after years of controversy.
The Vrede Dairy Project was established in 2012 as a public-private partnership with Estina, a Black Economic Empowerment company, which was given the land under a free 99-year lease.
The R250m project was part of the Free State provincial government’s agricultural project, Mohoma-Mobung.
Black farmers were to be empowered, but the controversial project was later referred to as a shell linked to the Guptas.
