Community outcry after geese are killed
A second incident, which left many residents furious, occurred a few days later and was posted on Facebook.
The ducks and geese at Monument Dam (situated at Key West Shopping Centre) are frequently the subject of controversy among concerned residents.
The birds seem to be neglected by the local council, but many think the animals are Key West management’s responsibility.
The latest incident sparked a renewed attempt to clarify who is actually responsible for these feathered creatures.
Ashlee Hatton-Jones and her fiancé were walking their puppy near the dam when they noticed two dead geese floating in the water. Walking along, they found two more badly injured geese fighting for their lives on the bank of the dam. But that was not all. They found three more dead geese further along.
“We were rather concerned that there may be something wrong with the water, so we took our puppy to a local animal hospital to report the matter and make sure that it was not going to get sick with whatever was going on at the dam. The vet reported the matter to the Department of Environmental Affairs and said she would keep us updated. She later called and confirmed that two children were reprimanded for throwing rocks at these geese,” said Ashlee.
Ashlee felt that the punishment meted out was not enough, and wanted to know what could be done to prevent this from happening again. But then tragedy struck again. A second incident, which left many residents furious, occurred a few days later and was posted on Facebook.
Eyewitnesses said in the post that a truck sped down Premier Street towards Viljoen Street, and instead of slowing down for the geese which were trying to cross the road, the driver drove over four of the birds without even making an effort to stop.
Again, many demanded action from either the shopping centre’s management, or the local council.
The marketing manager at Key West, Michelle Papastefanou, was contacted for comment.
“I can assure you that we are also shocked and upset by this incident. The control and administration of Monument Dam, and its animals, are the responsibility of the Mogale City Local Municipality. Even so, we continually work hand-in-hand with the municipality, where we can, to keep the dam and its surrounds clean, environmentally friendly and safe for people and animals. We urge anyone with complaints and queries regarding the area to contact the Mogale City Municipality on 011 951 2114. In addition, should you become concerned about the well-being of an animal at the dam, the Johannesburg SPCA’s 24-hour emergency inspector for the Krugersdorp area can be reached on 072 295 5116,” said Michelle.
These incidents were also escalated to the terrestrial birds conservation manager at BirdLife SA, who will respond in due course. The News will keep its readers posted.
Related articles:
• Key West: dam remains municipal property despite upgrades
• Monument Dam se waggelendes weer onder vergrootglas
