Stray animals put motorists in danger

Stray animals crossing national roads are a major concern in the Eastern Cape.

Drivers blame livestock owners and the provincial department for not doing enough to prevent the animals from straying on to the roads.

Cows, dogs and donkeys are a common sight on the N2 towards East London.

Motorist Andile Sifumba, who travels from King William’s Town to East London daily, said: 'The department of transport must not only speak about road safety during busy holiday periods, but engage livestock owners in campaigns all the time.

“Every day you will see a carcass of a dog lying in the middle of the road. It’s bad that people don’t care about their animals and the safety of people driving on the road.”

Sifumba regularly sees cows crossing the road.

“The department must deal with livestock owners, and give them heavy fines so that they understand that their livestock should not be roaming about causing accidents.”

Nolene February, from Breidbacht, said she had driven into a cow near Berlin last year.

“I rammed into a cow and  my car was damaged. The cow just crossed the road. l was lucky because l was not driving fast. If I had been l would have sustained serious injuries or died,” she said.

“The road is even worse when it's raining. You have to think of the animals and other motorists. The transport department should tighten up and issue heavy fines to livestock and pet owners. A lot of people die on the road. The department must also get urban farmers involved in their road safety campaigns because it is their animals roaming the streets.”

Unathi Binqose, provincial spokesperson for the transport department, said fencing had been put up along the N2 between King William’s Town and East London, and that cattle and horses were impounded.

“The issue of stray animals is a major problem all across the province, and we are doing all we can to curb it. They are contributors to a lot of accidents.”