Stray animals on the roads remain a threat to human lives especially in rural areas in Limpopo province. They are a huge concern as a contributor to major accidents on the roads.
As the festive season is approaching where there will be traffic congestion, MECs for Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety and Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya and Nandi Ndalane have engaged livestock farmers and residents to assist in eliminating loss of life on the roads.
The engagements aimed at promoting road safety were held at the Divine Life Ministries Church, Sekgopje Village, Ga-Mamabolo on 16 November 2021.
In her address, MEC Lerule-Ramakhanya said her department’s core business is to ensure that everybody arrives alive. She blamed stray animals for contributing toward road accident statistics, which cause emotional trauma to a family involved in an accident. In addition, the accidents deplete budget for road accident fund.
Colonel Molepa Mafokwane of South African Police Service rendered items on brand marks and stock theft in compliance with rules and regulations. LDARD official, Matsatsi Sebola advised farmers to contact the department whenever they needed help about disease control anda vaccination of their livestock. She added that local animal health technicians were available for technical advices related to their animals.
Both MECs handed over the reflective animal neck belts to leadership of livestock stakeholders. Unlike a person who puts the belt on the waist or dresses to enhance the beauty, it is a compliance for livestock owners to wear a designed reflective neck belt on animals. This is to caution vehicle drivers on the roads especially at night. Stray animals without reflective neck belt and earring can cause serious accidents leading to deaths or damage to vehicles or properties.
The engagements were done as a road safety promotion, not only during the coming festive season but always on the roads. It remains everybody’s responsibility to ensure that there are stray animals’ free roads. The Transport Department budgets for livestock reflective neck belts in its road safety programme.
