By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
THE Municipality of Beitbridge has stepped up efforts to rid the town of roaming livestock, warning owners of goats, pigs and sheep that they could soon face prosecution if they fail to remove their animals from urban areas.
The issue was discussed during Monday’s full council meeting, where Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola revealed that several residents and institutions had been served with notices for illegally keeping livestock within town boundaries.
According to Ramakgapola’s report, only two offenders had complied and relocated their animals, while the majority had ignored council directives.
“We served them with notices and only two people relocated their animals. You cannot keep animals in town. This cannot be allowed, even if they have applied. If no action is taken, these people will have to be taken to court,” he said.
Among those listed in the report were residents and institutions allegedly keeping goats, pigs and sheep in various parts of the town. Some had removed their animals, while others were reported to still have livestock on their premises.
Mayor Peter Pirato Mafuta called for stronger enforcement measures, saying council should capture stray animals roaming the town and keep them at the sewer farm until their owners pay fines.
“We need to capture all stray domestic animals and take them to the sewer farm. When owners come to collect them, they should be fined,” he said.
The move comes amid growing concern over the increasing number of goats and pigs roaming freely through residential suburbs, business centres and public spaces.
Stray animals are frequently seen wandering around town, including near the Wamlala area, where some have been observed around raw sewage ponds.
The situation is tarnishing the image of Beitbridge, a town that hosts one of Southern Africa’s busiest border posts and serves as a major gateway into Zimbabwe.
The municipality is now expected to intensify enforcement of its by-laws as it seeks to eliminate livestock keeping and stray animals from urban areas.