Small-Scale farmers in Mqanduli, which falls under the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality, have called for accelerated refurbishments to the municipality’s animal pound facility in their town, saying this would save them the costs of travelling as far as Qumbu to identify their impounded livestock.
The plea was made during a meeting between the farmers and KSD Municipality officials, held at Mqanduli Tourism Centre on February 23.
Famers say, currently, when their livestock are impounded, they are transported to an animal pound in Qumbu, which is some 90km away from Mqanduli.
This arrangement has huge cost implications for these small-scale farmers, who depend on their livestock as a source of income.
“The current situation is not ideal for us, as small-scale farmers, because our livestock get impounded by authorities here in Mqanduli and we have to travel to Qumbu, where they are taken, to identify them.
“Sometimes our livestock get auctioned off without our knowledge there.
“We are, therefore, calling on the KSD Municipality to speedily repair the Mqanduli animal pound facility, so that it can be operational again.
“This will make it easy for us to come and identify our livestock when they are impounded, without incurring the huge costs of keeping them at the animal pound,” said Zwelozuko Xhalisa who chairs the Mqanduli Farmers Association.
The Mqanduli animal pound was closed years ago after it became apparent that those tasked with securing it were colluding with stock thieves, as impounded animals went missing under their watch.
After its closure, it subsequently had fallen victim to criminals, who stripped it of its fencing, security gates, drinking troughs for animals and other critical infrastructure.
KSD Municipality spokesperson, Sonwabo Mampoza, said the municipality was attending to the call by the farmers and would allocate four Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) personnel, upon finalisation of recruitment, to run the facility.
Municipal officials at the meeting with farmers promised to have the facility reopened and operational by the end of March.
