Mtubatuba ‘Slabattoir’ shut down
The R618 'slabattoir' has been shut down but the mounds of cattle and goat bones are yet to be removed
THE public slaughtering of cattle and goats on the R618 in Mtubatuba left residents and business owners in a state of disgust.
Empangeni SPCA stepped in and facilitated the shutting down of the illegal abattoir, as well as the assailants’ arrest.
Approximately a week before Christmas, Mtubatuba resident and business owner, Raymond Els, witnessed, not for the first time, the slaughtering of cattle and goats on the R618 on the outskirts of Mtubatuba.
As well as the illegal slaughtering, Els happened upon numerous mounds of goat and cattle skulls and bones dumped in the gum plantation directly below the then-slaughter site.
He immediately contacted Mtubatuba Municipality’s Director of Community Services, Mr Sithole, by telephone. Upon being requested to send a complaint in writing, to which he was assured he would receive a response within one week, the concerned resident diligently emailed Sithole, making him aware of the issue. A week later and the Mtubatuba Municipality failed to respond to the complaint despite both the Director of Community Services and the Municipal Manager having been notified.
At the time of writing this article, no one at Mtubatuba Municipality has responded to Els, nor attempted to resolve the issue. The Zululand Observer has attempted to contact Mayor Ntuli directly, however, no response has been forthcoming.
Upon becoming aware of this practice, which is of grave health and safety concern, not to mention the illegal component to slaughtering animals without necessary permits, a law by which every butcher in the country must abide, Roland Fivaz, Senior Inspector at the Empangeni SPCA, used his official capacity to intervene.
After initially being thrown off the slaughter site, Fivaz obtained video footage of a slaughter in progress from a property across the road.
He then presented the evidence to SAPS, obtained a search warrant and returned to the site with Police Officers who immediately made arrests.
The assailants were charged under the Animal Protection Act and the Meat Hygiene Act, the latter in response to the selling of illegally and unhygienically butchered meat.
Within three working days the assailants pleaded guilty, paid a R1 000 ‘admission of guilt’ fine and were released.
The slaughtering has stopped, however, Fivaz is working closely with SAPS to avoid the re-opening of the R618 ‘slabattoir’.
