MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) – The Makhado Municipality categorically stated that there was nothing unlawful about building municipal pounds on private land.

The municipality further undertook to prepare a statement with a breakdown of the amounts spent on material and labour on the fencing of six animal pounds, at a cost of just over R353 380. They said they would submit the measurements of each pound.

This followed questions raised about the erection of new fences for four animal pounds and the renovation of two existing pounds. There were also concerns about the quality of the newly erected fences in relation to the expenditure.

The Transvaal Agriculture Union (TAU) expressed the concern that it could seem like an irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure.

Early this year, the Municipal Manager, Ms Faith Muhambi, answered a query from the Department of Local Government and Housing on the allocation of funds towards the abovementioned animal pounds. Apparently, the money was possibly initially allocated to complete the existing pounds.

When the question of building municipal assets on private land was raised, Mr Peter Magwala, Council’s Director of Corporate Services, stated that assets built on private land are municipal assets and that the municipality was obliged to maintain them. All six animal pounds were established on tribal land and not on municipal land. The traditional leaders were consulted.

“It might be possible that our consultation was not enough, but the fact is that they were consulted,” said Mr Magwala.

Mr Magwala said that an amount of R380 000 was granted by the Department of Local Government and Housing towards animal pounds.

* To fence the pound at Tshirolwe in the Dzanani region, an amount of R70 876.23 was allocated and the fencing was contracted to T E Murangwana.

* To fence the pound at Tshikwarani in Kutama, an amount of R71 9983.67 was allocated and the fencing was contracted to M E Mabila.

* To fence the pound at Ravele in Sinthumule an amount of R71 998.67 was allocated and the fencing was contracted to C C Mulweli.

* To fence the pound at Tshino in the Vuwani area, an amount of R74 387.90 was allocated and the fence was contracted to R R Ramathuba.

* To renovate the existing pound at Nkuzana in the Waterval region, an amount of R44 155.20 was allocated and was contracted to Sikhotso.

* To renovate the existing pound at Bungeni in the Waterval region, an amount of R19 970 was allocated and was contracted to Bandelierkop Fencing.

The Municipality will further break down the amounts into the categories of material and labour and supply the measurements of each pound. The amount allocated to Bandelierkop Fencing was lower because the fence was only renovated and there was an existing infra structure.

Concerning fears that the fences were already dilapidated, Mr Masindi Mapholi, Director Technical Services, said that he had visited some of the pounds and the quality of the fences complied with the amounts spent. The EPWP (Extended Public Works Programme) was implemented, where the municipality buys the materials and appoints a project manager. The contractors get an estimated 15 to 20 % of the amount.

The funding only completed the first phase which comprised the fencing. Mr Magwala said that they were liaising with the Department of Local Government and Housing for additional funding to complete the project.

According to the Limpopo Pounds Regulations of 2004, regulations for animal pounds are strict and requirements such as a poundmaster, housing for the poundmaster, security, and water for the impounded animals had to be met.

Mr Magwala said that it was important to remember that the main intention with the animal pounds was to save the lives of innocent people and to protect people against damage done to their assets by stray animals.