Agri Eastern Cape and the Komga Farmers Association have successfully obtained a Court Order against the Great Kei Municipality, the Municipal Manager, and Executive Mayor.
In terms of the court order obtained earlier this month, the Municipality is compelled to put in place procedures to enforce Bylaws with regards to the keeping of animals within the residential areas.
Agri Eastern Cape president Doug Stern says repeated requests to the Municipality to address this problem over many years resulted in very little action being taken.
He says unfortunately, Organised Agriculture was left with no option but to approach the Courts to remedy the situation.
Stern says it must be re-iterated that Agri Eastern Cape is not opposed to animal ownership by residents.
However, the keeping of animals within residential areas is regulated by Municipal Bylaws which need to be enforced in the interest of all the residents of the Municipality.
Stern added that farmers were suffering huge losses as a result of uncontrolled packs of dogs and dogs being bred for illegal hunting, while the dangers posed by stray cattle and other uncontrolled domesticated animals was also self-evident.
The Great Kei Municipal Manager and Mayor are now required to file a report on or before the 30th of April as to the steps they have taken to comply with the provisions of the Court Order.
