KNYSNA NEWS - Karatara residents are demanding answers after learning that the Knysna Municipality has earmarked a property in their community for a proposed municipal animal pound.

The Council reportedly made this decision on 11 August, and Erf 240 in Karatara was identified as the site for the facility.

The residents say they were not consulted before the decision, and they are now calling for an urgent public meeting with the municipality to discuss the proposal and its implications for the community.

This controversy comes as Knysna faces an increasingly visible problem with stray animals, as cattle and other animals are frequently found wandering on public roads.

A municipal pound has long been regarded as an important tool to help enforce the municipality's animal control by-laws and improve road safety.

According to the information provided to the councillors, Erf 240 was described as a suitable, centrally located site away from residential areas. However, the residents have questioned this description, pointing out that Karatara is about 38km from the Knysna CBD and that there are homes in the vicinity of the proposed site.

There also appears to be uncertainty about the size of the property. Information circulating in the community indicates that Erf 240 is about 24ha, while the Council report is understood to have referred to 2.4ha.

These concerns were raised with the municipality after FF Plus representative Michelle Wasserman visited Karatara and engaged with the residents. 

According to Wasserman, the residents are unhappy that a decision affecting their community appears to have been made before they had an opportunity to comment on the matter.

The residents have also questioned whether the property, if it is indeed 24ha, could instead play a role in addressing Karatara's housing needs.

Wasserman has reportedly written to the acting municipal manager, Boy Manqoba Ngubo, calling for an urgent public meeting, and for Human Settlements officials to be included in discussions about the property.

Knysna Municipality was asked a series of questions about the proposed pound, including why Erf 240 was selected, what the exact size of the property is, what the suitability of its location is, what the anticipated cost and capacity of the facility is, what transport implications there would be, what possible housing considerations there are and when the pound could become operational.

The municipality did not respond to the individual questions, but confirmed that a formal public participation process was still required.

"During [the process], stakeholders will be afforded an opportunity to submit written comments on the proposal," the municipality said in an email on Monday 31 August.

It did not provide a date for when the public participation process would begin or indicate when a public meeting would be held.

The proposed pound is likely to remain a contentious issue, particularly in a community that says it wants to be properly informed and consulted before any development proceeds.

For Knysna, the need for an effective facility to deal with stray animals is clear. The question now is whether the municipality can find a solution that addresses that need while also taking the concerns of the Karatara community into account.

Read previous articles:

Knysna moves to tackle stray livestock with new pound 

Pressure mounts over roaming cattle in Knysna 

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