03 Jun 2014

Mahalapye residents have expressed mixed reactions about the Matimela Act.

Speaking during a recent kgotla meeting addressed by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Peter Siele, some residents said the handling fee for stray animals should increase from P3 to P5.

Some suggested that the responsibility for matimela cattle should be returned to tribal administration or to another government ministry. Minister Siele was consulting the residents about the Matimela Act. His talk focused on fees for drovers, handling and sustenance of the cattle, including the management issues to stem the loss.

He had said given the escalating costs of maintenance and sustenance of livestock, expenses incurred by councils were becoming unsustainable. He said the stray animals are placed in a Matimela kraals for six weeks and the owner of an animal may claim such an animal at P2 per cattle and P1 for other animals per day, also saying the sustenance fee was P3 per cattle whereas other animals are charged at P2 per day.

He said even with proceeds from the sale of carcasses and hides of matimela, councils were still making losses, hence the decision by the government to review the law.

In response, the residents suggested differed in terms of the Matimela Act as some strongly felt that matimela should revert to bogosi, as they in the past were able to know the basics of what to do.

Headman Alexanda Modisa said he strongly felt that matimela were a bogosi issue and could be taken care of by mephato. However, some residents said matimela should remain the responsibility of council but the handling fee should increase from P3 to P5 per day.

The Deputy Chairperson of Ntlo ya Dikgosi, Kgosi Tshipe Tshipe, suggested that matimela should be a matter for the Ministry of Agriculture. Kgosi Tshipe who is also a deputy Kgosi for Mahalapye, said dikgosi could not handle the responsibility of matimela, especially that regiments were no longer active and therefore would not collect matimela for free.

He added that the Ministry of Agriculture was better resourced to take over the responsibility for matimela. He added that matimela cattle should remain in custody kraals for two months only to cut costs. Such livestock should be sold, if unclaimed after two months. He also suggested a handling fee of P100 per day so that farmers would be motivated to care for their livestock. Ends