Cars and delivery motorbikes come screeching to a halt to dodge night-time jaywalkers who pay no heed to the rules of the road.
Cars and delivery motorbikes come screeching to a halt to dodge night-time jaywalkers who pay no heed to the rules of the road.
These groups of local rebels are not gangs of crooks or school kids but rather cows sneaking out late at night to graze under the city’s street lights.
Fitzroy and the surrounding streets have become a popular hang-out spot after the clock strikes five, prompting Fitzroy Street resident Minette Gleaves to write to Grocott’s Mail last week.
She said cattle owners let the cows out of their enclosures after 5pm and come to round them up the next morning. "It is an accident waiting to happen. It’s a danger," Gleaves wrote.
Makana’s parks and recreation manager, Kevin Bates, said the current protocol is to round up unsupervised cows and impound them at SPCA facilities.
Stock owners must then pay a minimum R450 fine to get their animals back.
Last year approximately 135 cows were impounded and already 40 have been picked up this year .
They hope to deal with the recurring problem for once and for all, Bates said, as his department is hosting a stock branding workshop on Thursday, with the help of the police, SPCA and the local stock theft unit.
The municipality plans to tackle this ongoing problem by tightening the reigns on stock owners who don't brand their animals.
"If we know who the cows belong to then we can take action against the owners," Bates explained.
"We know a cow is worth about R5 000 so we can lay a claim against the stock owners. Once the cows are branded the stock owners should be more wary."
Bates also plans to review draft by-laws at the workshop that includes section 7 of the Animal Identification Act of 2002 that says all livestock animals must be branded.
The department also plans to up their spot checks after hours but Bates warns Grahamstownians to be vigilant of animals on the streets after hours.
But branding is not a simple solution to the "complex problem" Bates explained, as relations between key players also must be resolved.
In the past stock owners have threatened and intimidated SPCA staff after their animals were impounded.
SPCA chairperson Karen Kouari said, "livestock owners are negative towards us because they blame us for their animals being impounded when it is in fact the community who are looking out for the best interest of the animals."
"They must realise that we are keeping their animals safe as there have been incidents in town where packs of stray dogs have attacked livestock and they have been knocked down by cars, especially at night."
Kouari believes that no amicable relationship can exist until the stock owners start taking responsibility for their animals and stop letting them wander off into the town and suburbs.
If you encounter a cow on the street or near your home after hours please call the Grahamstown fire station on 046 603 6000.
