Horse pays the price of carelessness
Horses that are freely roaming the streets of Brakpan have become a huge problem and pose a great danger to motorists and people who try to approach them.
According to the chief inspector of the Brakpan SPCA, Vicky Finnemore, the situation has become completely out of control as the owners of these horses just do not care.
The seriousness of this became very clear on Friday morning, when a horse was hit by a truck on Denne Road. This was not the first such incident.
The Brakpan SPCA was called out to assist the animal, which was severely injured and suffering.
“We made the decision to humanely and lawfully euthanise the horse on the side of the road, as we had no idea whom it belonged,” said Finnemore.
This was the second horse that had been killed in the past two weeks.
Last Thursday evening a stray horse was killed on the N17 highway, near the Denne Road off-ramp.
The accident took place at about 9pm.
According to a police officer who attended the scene, there were two stray horses in the road.
“The driver managed to avoid one horse, but hit the other one, resulting in the death of the animal,” said the police officer.
According to him, the driver, fortunately, sustained only minor injuries, but the damage to the vehicle was enormous.
“There are horses constantly running around on Denne Road, between traffic,” said Finnemore.
“We know who the owner is and have warned him on many occasions to keep his horses on his own property, but he just doesn’t care.
“We are not only concerned about the safety of these horses, but also for the safety of the public, who are driving on our roads.
“A horse is a very big animal and can do a lot of damage to a motor vehicle if it is hit.”
Finnemore added that people’s lives are at risk with these roaming animals.
According to Finnemore other problem areas are Graaf Road, in Minnebron, and Brenthurst.
“We constantly have the public phoning our offices and screaming at us about horses in Brenthurst that enter the cemetery and eat the flowers from tombstones and graves,” she said.
“Unfortunately we cannot remove these horses as we do not enforce the by-laws, but the public don’t understand this.
“We have also received complaints that horses enter residents’ private property and eat their grass and flowers.”
A resident living in Joubert Street recently contacted the Herald and said that the roaming horses in Brenthurst are definitely a problem.
“I have not seen them lately, but previously we had at least three horses eating the grass on our pavement; I have also spotted the animals in the cemetery before,” said the resident.
According to Finnemore, the owner of the hoses has been warned before but to no avail.
The Herald contacted the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department about this growing problem.
Spokesperson Chief Supt Wilfred Kgasago agreed that animals that are allowed to roam about in this fashion are exposing road-users to danger and said it was not acceptable.
“Both the precinct commander for Brakpan and the by-law unit commander have been made aware and the matter will be investigated,” he said.
“Any person found to be careless with his or her livestock will be dealt with.”
The EMPD by-law states:
In terms of Section 28 (5), “no person being the owner or having the charge or control of any animal whatsoever, whether domesticated or not, shall allow or permit such animal to cause any annoyance, offence or inconvenience to any person in any street or cause any obstruction or inconvenience to traffic generally”.
On conviction the transgressor will be liable to a fine not exceeding R2 000 or, in default of payment, to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or to both such a fine and such imprisonment.
