THE notorious stretch of N2 between Tsolo and Qumbu may soon be free of strays.
Fed-up traffic officials are now on a drive to impound livestock found in the area as accident numbers peak.
For many years this section of the national road, which cuts through the heart of the Transkei, has hogged the limelight whenever road accident statistics are announced, and OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Amathole districts are high on the list of animal-caused accidents.
Transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said from December 25 to January 31 there were 14 accidents caused by strays in the Eastern Cape – about one every second day.
Recently a woman was killed and seven people were injured when two vehicles collided head-on after hitting a cow on the N2 near Dutywa.
In February, 43 head of cattle, 200 sheep and 20 horses were auctioned off by the Mhlontlo municipality.
Twenty cattle, 40 sheep and 15 horses will be auctioned on May 2.
Mhlontlo community services director Mpilo Yilo said the animals were impounded by municipal traffic officers. Some, which are suspected stolen, are taken to the pound by police. “It’s common to see stray animals majestically strutting their stuff in the middle of our roads. This must come to an end. We must protect the lives of others,” said Yilo.
The state is entitled to auction off animals not collected within three months from a government pound, but before that the municipality must advertise the animals, describing markings and brandings so that owners can come forward and claim them and pay their fines. Should they not do so, they are auctioned.
Fines can be hefty, especially if the animals are in the pound for any length of time.
For the first day in a pound the fine is R50 a head and it is R20 for each day thereafter.
“Many motorists have been injured or killed, with the highest contributing factor being stray animals.
“Every livestock owner knows it is against the law to let animals roam.
“If the owners do not claim them and pay fines, we will auction them,” said Yilo.
He said impounding animals and auctioning them started in 2006.
Traditional leaders have urged the municipality to pardon victims of livestock theft from having to pay fines.
“We are in talks with the SAPS on that. All stolen animals are brought here. The SAPS does not pay for the storage of these animals, the owner has to,” said Yilo. The money from the sale of confiscated animals goes into municipal coffers.
Yilo explained that the three auctions a year helped fund animal food and the pound’s 10 staff members employed to look after the animals.
There is also a private security company guarding them at night.
He said traffic officers and road rangers would continue to confiscate stray animals found loitering along the N2 and other roads cutting through the Mhlontlo municipal area.
Yilo said livestock owners should make an effort to contain their animals and not let them roam free.
Kumbaca said with the province being largely rural, stray animals remained a challenge, and one that the department was vigorously addressing. “We have already appointed 688 road rangers to remove them from the roads and we need more,” he said.
Mhlontlo livestock owners and traditional leaders offered a mixed reaction to the rounding up of their stray livestock.
They felt strongly that stolen animals should not carry fines and nor should they be auctioned off.
Nkosi Mnoneleli Ranuga said: “Qumbu and Tsolo are notorious for stocktheft. We don’t have a problem with fines and auctions if owners are negligent – letting their animals roam and cause accidents. But on stolen animals, it is a no-no. Some cannot afford to pay the fines.”
Ranuga himself was injured when his car hit a donkey in November in the Mthentu Cuttings near Mthatha.
His car was a write-off. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Cops declare war on N2 stray animal risk
Fed-up traffic officials are now on a drive to impound livestock found in the area as accident numbers peak.
For many years this section of the national road, which cuts through the heart of the Transkei, has hogged the limelight whenever road accident statistics are announced, and OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Amathole districts are high on the list of animal-caused accidents.
Transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said from December 25 to January 31 there were 14 accidents caused by strays in the Eastern Cape – about one every second day.
Recently a woman was killed and seven people were injured when two vehicles collided head-on after hitting a cow on the N2 near Dutywa.
In February, 43 head of cattle, 200 sheep and 20 horses were auctioned off by the Mhlontlo municipality.
Twenty cattle, 40 sheep and 15 horses will be auctioned on May 2.
Mhlontlo community services director Mpilo Yilo said the animals were impounded by municipal traffic officers. Some, which are suspected stolen, are taken to the pound by police. “It’s common to see stray animals majestically strutting their stuff in the middle of our roads. This must come to an end. We must protect the lives of others,” said Yilo.
The state is entitled to auction off animals not collected within three months from a government pound, but before that the municipality must advertise the animals, describing markings and brandings so that owners can come forward and claim them and pay their fines. Should they not do so, they are auctioned.
Fines can be hefty, especially if the animals are in the pound for any length of time.
For the first day in a pound the fine is R50 a head and it is R20 for each day thereafter.
“Many motorists have been injured or killed, with the highest contributing factor being stray animals.
“Every livestock owner knows it is against the law to let animals roam.
“If the owners do not claim them and pay fines, we will auction them,” said Yilo.
He said impounding animals and auctioning them started in 2006.
Traditional leaders have urged the municipality to pardon victims of livestock theft from having to pay fines.
“We are in talks with the SAPS on that. All stolen animals are brought here. The SAPS does not pay for the storage of these animals, the owner has to,” said Yilo. The money from the sale of confiscated animals goes into municipal coffers.
Yilo explained that the three auctions a year helped fund animal food and the pound’s 10 staff members employed to look after the animals.
There is also a private security company guarding them at night.
He said traffic officers and road rangers would continue to confiscate stray animals found loitering along the N2 and other roads cutting through the Mhlontlo municipal area.
Yilo said livestock owners should make an effort to contain their animals and not let them roam free.
Kumbaca said with the province being largely rural, stray animals remained a challenge, and one that the department was vigorously addressing. “We have already appointed 688 road rangers to remove them from the roads and we need more,” he said.
Mhlontlo livestock owners and traditional leaders offered a mixed reaction to the rounding up of their stray livestock.
They felt strongly that stolen animals should not carry fines and nor should they be auctioned off.
Nkosi Mnoneleli Ranuga said: “Qumbu and Tsolo are notorious for stocktheft. We don’t have a problem with fines and auctions if owners are negligent – letting their animals roam and cause accidents. But on stolen animals, it is a no-no. Some cannot afford to pay the fines.”
Ranuga himself was injured when his car hit a donkey in November in the Mthentu Cuttings near Mthatha.
His car was a write-off. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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