22 Sep 2020

Francistown City Council (FCC) impounded 622 animals from April to August.

A total of P4 561 was accrued from auctioning 598 animals while 24 were still in the council’s care.

Speaking in an interview, city clerk, Mr Lopang Pule, said, ‘livestock comes from nearby surrounding villages, farms and illegal kraals within the city boundaries.”

He said the matter regarding farmers who failed to remove the livestock from the city had been elevated to the Botswana Police Services to arrest such farmers and destroy illegal kraals.

He said after impounding stray animals, the council, in line with the Pound Act, allowed for a period of 21 days for cattle owners to claim their animals before they could be sold through public auction, following publication in the Government Gazette and notices passed to other councils.

He added that impounding of such animals was suspended for the month of June and July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Pule said stray animals put people’s live in danger by causing road accidents, destruction of property and disturbance to city dwellers.

Mr Pule explained that in an effort to sensitise the farmers, the city council continued to conduct public education to relay messages about stray animals roaming the city.

He noted that the latest public auction of impounded animal was held in August 7, indicating that farmers were contravening the Township Act 40:02 Section 9 (1) and 9 (2) of Pounds Bye-Laws Act.

Furthermore, he noted that sensitisation was being done through addressing kgotla meetings and speaking to individual farmers when they claimed their animals.

Furthermore, he said ward development committees (WDC), Ipelegeng workers and dikgosi had been involved to assist in the tracking of and identification of animals and illegal kraal owners.

Mr Pule said they were implementing and enforcing provision of the Pound Act through patrolling, impounding and herding of stray animals found within the city boundaries hence there were no plans to seal off the city.

On the issue of donkey carts in the cty, Mr Pule said as long as donkey carts users were not infringing any statutes or Council Bye-Laws, they were allowed to operate as they had been doing.

The pound division of the city council was responsible for managing stray animals and also prepared periodical statistical reports and made recommendations where necessary to advise the council authority, he added.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development intended merging the two acts of Matimela and Pounds into one since they had overarching provisions and similarities. Ends