BCC to auction stray livestock

Canditar Chapanduka, Chronicle Reporter

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) will next week auction stray cattle, donkeys and goats that have not been claimed by their owners.

Seven cattle, five donkeys and four goats will be auctioned next Friday at 10AM at the council’s Gum Plantation near Luveve suburb.

On Monday, council gave a notice of the public auction that will be conducted in terms of section 11 of Protection of Lands and Natural Resources by-law of 1984. 

All the animals that are being auctioned are branded and owners can claim their livestock before they are auctioned, but council will charge them a fee as compensation for keeping the livestock.

Council contends that it has incurred some costs providing all the requirements needed for the survival of the livestock. 

In an interview, BCC corporate communications manager Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said council has been forced to auction the livestock that has strayed into Bulawayo and no one has come to claim it. 

“The livestock has been city council owned since the owners are not known and it is being kept at Municipal Pounds which is a legal pound at the Gum Plantation near Luveve cemetery,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She said the auction notice serves as both notice to auction the livestock and also as a notice to owners to claim the livestock before the auction is conducted.

In the event that the livestock auction goes ahead, all monies raised will go to council.

 “The funds will come to the City of Bulawayo to cover the expenses of looking after the livestock during the time they are with the city.

Charges include costs of dipping, medication, security and pastures while they are in Council custody. Owners who claim the livestock before auction are required to pay storage fees,” said Mrs Mpofu.

“We have seen that there are fake brands which possess a challenge with owners as they fail to identify their livestock.  However, the City of Bulawayo also checks with the branding authority on who the owner of the brand is before auctions. In some cases, the livestock will not be registered with the branding authority for livestock,” she said. – @NomqheleC.