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Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]

THE City of Bulawayo is battling a growing menace of stray cattle that are invading western and eastern suburbs in search of green pastures as the drought affecting the country continues to bite resulting in the municipality impounding 28 beasts so far.

The stray beasts were rounded up in the past week and are being kept at the BCC impound yard in Luveve suburb.

The owners of the cattle are encouraged to approach the city authorities to claim the animals before the three months grace period lapses after which they will be auctioned off.

“The City of Bulawayo impounded 28 cattle, which were rounded up in different parts of the city in the past week and the cattle were taken to the impound yard. The owners of the cattle are encouraged to come forward and claim them,” the city’s public relations department said in response to enquiries.

“The impounding of stray animals (donkeys and cattle) allows for peri-urban farmers to make follow-ups to our impound facilities after missing their animals.
“We continue to educate the residents of Bulawayo and conduct awareness programmes on the proper keeping and management of their animals,” said the city council.

The stray animals will be auctioned off after three months if the owners do not come to claim them.

Some of the cattle at the BCC impound facility in Luveve suburb

“Auctioning of animals will be conducted after three months of storage and this position has been made clear to local farmers who might be missing their beasts,” said the local authority.

While the cattle are at the BCC impound facilities, a fine of US$89 per beast per day will be charged.

The municipality has said it will continue to conduct patrols around the city patrols to rid Bulawayo of stray animals and residents are encouraged to alert authorities of the presence of cattle that may be roaming around the city.

Regular joint operations with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Environment (ZRP) Management Authority (EMA) and Forestry Commission would be enforced, said council.

Some of the cattle at the BCC impound facility in Luveve suburb

Last week, a Chronicle news crew drove around several suburbs such as Killarney, Kumalo, Sunninghill, Magwegwe North, Pumula Old and Lobengula where stray animals were roaming around in search of greener pastures.

Magwegwe North resident Mrs Anele Mpofu said her vegetable garden was invaded by a herd of more than 30 beasts that had been roaming around her neighbourhood for a number of days.

“The cattle seem to be following streams where there is green grass growing as a result of sewage water that flows there and sometimes they stray into our yards and graze our vegetables,” she said.

“My yard does not have a perimeter wall or fence and the cattle wiped out all my vegetables,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She said no one appeared to be herding the cattle as they grazed their way in Magwegwe North suburb headed for Lobengula as they followed a small stream.
In Killarney suburb another herd of over 40 cattle was seen roaming around the suburb a week ago and resident Mr Nicholas Moyo said he walked out of his gate to find the animals grazing on his lawn.

Some of the cattle at the BCC impound facility in Luveve suburb

“I think they were attracted by the green lawn as they were passing through the area. They had been grazing along a stream for a few days but have since moved on,” said Mr Moyo.

A Bulawayo City Council employee at the Luveve impound facility said in addition to the 28 cattle that were brought last week, another 67 is already being kept there.

“When your cattle are impounded and brought here, you pay US$89 for each day for each animal. We give you an invoice here then you pay at the BCC Tower Block building then come back and collect the cattle,” said the official.

Some of the cattle at the BCC impound facility in Luveve suburb

“We have cattle, donkeys, goats and sheep here and the animals are sold at the auction after three months when their owners do not come to collect them.”

Last year, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development directed local authorities to impound and auction all stray cattle as part of efforts to curb the spread of diseases such as theileriosis.

Experts say theileriosis is a tick-borne disease caused by a blood protozoan parasite, theileria.

The Zimbabwe Farmers Union has also raised the alarm on farmers who continue to leave their animals unattended resulting in them straying into the roads leading to road accidents, especially at night.

Some of the livestock stray into towns and residential areas. The Department of Veterinary Services has urged farmers to pen their animals overnight and monitor them during the day.