Cattle owners lose livestock to rubbish

Discarded rubbish, including plastic and other domestic refuse, has killed several cows whose owners were forced off their commonage at the entrance to Sibongile.

 
Vathu Bhungane, a cattle owner, said he and other local cattle owners, were told by the municipality to remove their livestock as the area has been earmarked as a public park.

 
“We moved to land adjacent to the old dumping site. However, people are still dumping there and our cows have digested rubbish – including plastics – that have been dumped there.”

 
Mr Bhungane said the plastic caused fatal damage to the cows’ intestines and oesophagi, leading to agonising deaths.

 
He claims that even if they keep their cows in their kraals, the wind blows plastic from the dumping site into their kraals.

“Our cows are dying because of all the rubbish blown around… we have made many attempts to help our cattle so that they can eat and regain their strength, but we are not winning. What worsens the situation is the shortage of water as a result of drought,” Mr Bhungane added.

 

He appealed to the council to fence the area off or to place a security guard to prevent illegal dumping.

He also claimed that the department of agriculture must compensate them for their cows that are deceased.

Photos of the sick cattle were sent to the Dundee and District SPCA.