UPDATE: No action on roaming cattle problem
Cattle roaming the highways and byways are now a dangerously common occurance.
A LARGE herd of cattle traversing the John Ross Parkway in peak morning traffic yesterday morning caused much frustration among road users.
A local business owner who captured the lazy procession on camera, said the ongoing cattle fiasco is obviously of little concern to authorities.
‘Cattle should be herded by two flag carriers, one leading and one following behind for a safe crossing, but here they simply run amok with not a soul in sight.
‘In the past, owners of free roaming cattle were warned once or twice and the animal would thereafter be shot,’ said Theuns White.
‘My wife almost collided with a cow one night in Meerensee and barely avoided an accident.’
Dave Whittaker, Chairman of both the Empangeni branch of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCI) and Empangeni SPCA, says the growing crisis of cattle roaming city streets should urgently be dealt with by the municipality via legislation, common law and municipal by-laws.
‘I recently hit a cow at the Alton intersection at midnight while trying to avoid a whole herd, fortunately at a very low speed, but damage to my vehicle still came to R54 000.
‘While awaiting the breakdown vehicle, a bus hit two more cattle, a car hit a cow and was nearly written off and a bakkie also hit a cow, sustaining serious damage.’
According to the KZN Pound Act, every municipality shall within 12 months of passing of the Act, establish and operate a pound.
The closest pounds to the city are Ulundi and Jozini, says a SPCA senior official.
‘Trouble animals cannot be collected because it’s not costs effective.
‘According to the Animal Identification Act 2002, every farm animal over six months old must be branded and any police officer who finds an unbranded animal can impound it.
‘Cattle owners should register their brand, so owners of animals causing danger or damage can be traced via the Registrar and held responsible for damages and fines.
‘Without a pound, nothing can happen.’
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