Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Suzette Steyn and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Fako Tsotetsi.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mafube will write to the acting Municipal Manager, Jamela Selapyane, to finalise the bylaws for roaming cattle, as approved by council, without delay, and have it published in the Provincial Gazette so that compliance officers can be appointed to provide the municipality with legal grounds for action.
We are pleased to note that efforts are underway in Villiers to install similar cattle facilities. The inauguration of the facilities in Villiers took place on the 9th of February 2026, and several stakeholders participated, presenting the local communal farmers community with important information on bio-security measures, especially during the current Foot and Mouth Disease disaster plaguing the Free State and other parts of the country.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) secured funding for the development of cattle handling facilities in Mafube, which, through mutual agreement, should include a pound system. These facilities, once complete, should remain under municipal ownership and be co-managed by the municipality and the DARD.
The DA has been following construction progress, and we were extremely disappointed to learn that construction in Frankfort has been interrupted during this crucial period. This followed our request that the Municipal Manager gazette the appropriate by-laws and reinstate the long-overdue pound system to manage stray cattle, protect residents’ properties, ensure public safety, and provide solutions for emerging farmers who rely on communal grazing land.
We have been advocating for proper bylaws to regulate stray cattle since September 2024. The DA strongly supports the re-establishment of a secure and effective pound system, improved municipal farm rental conditions to support emerging farmers, and proper perimeter fencing and fenced individual kraals to improve disease control.
We will remain vigilant in overseeing the successful completion and implementation of these projects, ensuring that they serve both communal farmers and residents.