Neighbours raise stink over pig farm, muni finds nothing amiss

POLOKWANE – ‘The place is appalling and the stench of rotting food coming from his smallholding is disgusting,” says one of the complainants Rudi Meyer.

This is one of several complaints Review received about the situation on a smallholding in the Palmietfontein area.

Meyer further added: “We have contacted numerous departments and inspectors but either they don’t respond to our complaints or when they do inspect the smallholding, they say they found nothing amiss with the condition of the smallholding or the animals.

“We as the community have given him advice on how to manage his livestock and smallholding but to no avail, he just ignores our pleas and advice.

“Our water supply comes from an underground water source and our biggest fear is that this water source will become contaminated by his farming methods and his so-called ‘septic tank’.

Upon investigation into the matter, Review received written feedback from the Polokwane Municipality and the SPCA regarding their investigations into the property.

An investigator for the SPCA, Moloko Manaka, said she investigated the matter and did not find any major problems.

“Besides from one dog and one pig that needed to go to a veterinarian for a check-up, everything seemed to be mostly in order.

“The owner of the pigs was advised to upgrade the structures in place and to upgrade the drainage system, fly traps and surrounding wires.

“We will do follow-up inspections with other investigators from the National Council of the SPCA after the allocated time given to do the necessary upgrades and maintenance have passed,” Moloko said.

Review received a letter from the state veterinarian who visited the smallholding on behalf of the Department of Health, Dr Themba Malatse.

“We have found that the fences for the animals are adequate but that the outside fence needs upgrading. We will do a follow-up investigation.

“There was a problem with the waste not being properly disposed of and in this regard the pig farmer agreed to erect a septic tank and French drain within three months of the visit at the beginning of June.

“In conclusion, as far as the department is concerned, none of the requirements for keeping pigs have been transgressed,” Malatse said.

The pig farmer, Danie Janse van Rensburg, told Review that he has been complying with the requests made by both the department and the SPCA and that he is in the process of fixing all the matters that had been pointed out to him.
riana@nmgroup.co.za