– Only three of Limpopo’s 22 local municipalities have reported operating animal pounds.
– This failure increases biosecurity risks and weakens FMD containment by hampering the control of stray livestock and the enforcement of restrictions on unauthorised livestock movement.
– The DA demands that Limpopo’s CoGHSTA urgently exercise its oversight, support and intervention powers and present a clear province-wide plan to establish and restore functional pound arrangements.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo is shocked by the revelation that only three of Limpopo’s 22 local municipalities have reported operating animal pounds.
This is despite repeated calls by the DA on the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Basikopo Makamu, to exercise the province’s oversight, support and intervention powers over Limpopo’s municipalities and ensure that functional pound arrangements are in place, particularly given the need to reduce biosecurity risks and contain the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
The DA has also previously made similar calls on the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana, whose department is leading the provincial response to FMD. We have called for cooperation between the two departments to ensure that appropriate pound arrangements are established.
Limpopo is on the frontline of FMD exposure. The province borders neighbouring countries, has a high-risk wildlife-livestock interface and serves as a critical buffer protecting the rest of South Africa.
Against this background, the absence of properly established and operational animal pounds undermines disease containment and effective livestock control.
Properly managed animal pounds play an important role in controlling stray and trespassing livestock, curbing uncontrolled animal movement and minimising biosecurity risks.
Animal pounds are a constitutionally recognised local-government function. Municipalities therefore carry primary responsibility for ensuring that lawful and functional pound arrangements are in place.
However, the Limpopo Provincial Government cannot avoid accountability where failure is systemic and municipalities fail, or lack the capacity, to perform the function.
We understand that this issue has been red-flagged in provincial FMD coordinating meetings, yet CoGHSTA has failed to respond, and no clear plan has been provided to address the lack of functional animal pounds.
At a time when FMD poses a real threat to the province’s livestock economy, this failure directly endangers farmers, emerging producers, and the broader agricultural value chain—a risk that is entirely preventable.
The absence of functional pound arrangements across most Limpopo municipalities reflects municipal failure, inadequate provincial oversight, and a serious breakdown in interdepartmental coordination.