Niël Terblanché
Grootfontein’s residents are battling with an influx of free-roaming livestock that has taken over their streets, gardens, and public spaces.
This has created a crisis that has left many frustrated and searching for solutions.
The town, once known for its neat neighbourhoods, now faces the daily challenge of herds of cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs wandering the community.
Despite repeated complaints to the town council, residents feel their concerns have largely been ignored, and many worry that the once vibrant town is losing its character and quickly turning into a village.
For at least four years, the town has dealt with livestock kept in pens on the outskirts of town, but the situation has recently escalated beyond control.
One resident, who asked to remain anonymous because of her political affiliation, explained the strain the growing herds have placed on the community.
“The animals can’t be accommodated anymore. Only some are kept in pens at night, but most roam the town and surrounding lands, supervised only by a few herders. They go into people’s yards, eat plants in the garden, and destroy vegetable patches,” she said.
In a community where residents grow vegetables to supplement their food supply, the livestock’s grazing has caused significant distress.
“We’re trying to grow food, especially vegetables, to save on costs. But the animals are eating everything we plant,” the resident explained.
Sheep, goats, and even pigs, brought in by enterprising farmers who saw an opportunity to let their animals roam freely, have exacerbated the issue.
“One farmer decided to start a piggery, letting his pigs run free in town, and this is only adding to the damage.”
Various local authority councillors declined to comment citing the upcoming presidential and national council elections.
According to Grootfontein’s Chief Executive Officer, Ingileni Lungameni, the situation stems from multiple factors.
He revealed that the animals belong to different owners, some of whom are attempting to pressure authorities to allocate land for farming.
He said that others brought livestock to the town due to the severe drought, hoping to access the town’s limited townland grazing areas.
“Many of these animals also belong to people who have been evicted from the farms surrounding Grootfontein and now they have nowhere else to go,” he said.
He added that keeping livestock on townlands is technically against the law, but enforcing these regulations has proven difficult.
Lungameni acknowledged the residents’ frustrations, stating that the council is painfully aware of the issue.
“We are listening to the complaints, but from a local authority perspective, there’s a process we must follow. About four months ago, we submitted a new bylaw to the Minister of Justice and other relevant ministries. This new bylaw, once approved, will allow us to impound free-roaming livestock within the town’s boundaries,” he explained.
He added that the approval process has, however, been slow, and the bylaw still awaits publication in the Government Gazette before it can be enforced.
“We’re hopeful that we’ll receive the necessary authority within the next month to address the situation. The council’s new law, once enacted, will empower officials to seize and impound free-roaming livestock. If the issues with owners cannot be resolved, the livestock will be sold at auction,” he said.
He added that the impact of the roaming animals extends beyond damaged gardens.
Lungameni pointed to various health and safety concerns, including disruption to traffic, further property damage, and even risks to children walking to school.
“These animals are not just causing property damage; they’re a real hazard for traffic and for children in the community,” he said.
Lungameni requested residents to remain patient until the new bylaw is approved and gave the assurance that peace and tranquillity will be restored.
