WHAT HAS TAXI VIOLENCE GOT TO DO WITH ANIMAL WELFARE?

Nothing. Unless you count the 1000's of free roaming dogs, particularly in township environments, who are victims of taxi hit and run's every year...

But should these dogs have been born in the first place?

ANIMAL KEEPING POLICY
and REVISED BY-LAW.
IT'S NOT IMPORTANT. IS IT???

On the 17th of May 2021, SA.MAST handed over to the City of Cape Town over 3000 public comment submissions collected via our website and in hardcopy.

These submissions were made by the only animal welfare organisation in the City of Cape Town and since 2009, to conduct a free MASS animal sterilisation with primary treatment programme across the length and breadth of Khayelitsha for a minimum of 44 weeks per year, every year. To be clear, this is over and above sterilising sick or injured patients before they leave our hospital to go back home.

Over the last 12 weeks we have made
9 enquiries asking the following:

1. Will all the submission SA.MAST handed over form part of the public record?

2. Who are the official role players in this process (City and partners) that have been mandated to introduce and take this animal keeping policy with revised by-law to follow until it's conclusion?

3. A summary of the specific details of the public submissions – for example, what submissions did the City receive regarding input to its animal keeping policy?

4. Feedback on the City's response to the substantive suggestions made in the public submissions. For example, what are the City's responses regarding, inter alia, vaccinations, sterilisations, etc and by when can we expect the City's responses?

Unfortunately, we have received only one answer: SILENCE.

Sorry, that's not quite correct. The response we got was: "You will receive a response like everyone else." And we received this response AFTER he told a journalist that he hasn't heard from us six days after our seventh follow up…

We would say that this constitutes a 'thumbing of one's nose' to the very people who, after paying all their taxes, then still donate towards animal welfare and who themselves have actually taken the 'public-participation process' rather seriously.

But, all of this isn't unexpected. Now, like ten years ago just before municipal elections, someone has once again figured out that animals are important to voters and party donors and; if they introduce the concept of a revised policy together with a promise of a new proactive by-law, it would appear that its important to them too.

Cllr Mzwakhe Nqavashe, in your capacity as the Safety & Security Portfolio Chairman (CoCT), which forms the oversight body for this process, and to borrow a phrase from Mbhazima Shilowa of News24 when he wrote an opinion piece on PPE fraudsters still not being brought to book:

"Is it awfully hard work doing nothing?"

Meanwhile, the SA.MAST Animal Clinic
IS hard at work - ALWAYS.

Funds donated to SA.MAST symbolises a vote of confidence in our activities, something that would not be possible without our commitment to transparency and accountability. While Khayelitsha (and many other townships within the City) may be situated far from many of our readers homes or place of business it is, to put it mildly, a mistake to underestimate the impact a revised policy with a measurable and effective by-law will have on us and generations to come.

Thank you for your vote of confidence. Please click below to keep showing the love, we are extremely low on funds and receive zero financial support for our mass sterilisation with primary treatment programme from government.

Become a Debit Order Donor: www.samast.co.za/monthly-debit-order/

Donate via PayFast: www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/samast

Make a Direct Deposit, our bank account details are:
First National Bank, Account Number: 62833514012, Branch: Somerset West, Branch Code: 250655, Swift Code for International Transfers: FIRNZAJJ. PLEASE use your name as a reference

Do You Have an Online Business? Reach Out to us for a Win-Win Situation: samast@samast.co.za

We will be updating you shortly on our 2021 activities, which includes 1 386 MASS animal sterilisations for this year alone, so please stand-bye.

Lastly, a small but heartfelt thank you to Giving is Living for helping us to provide 28 kennels for some of our 1386 sterilised woofs this year.

For more information contact:
Tamsin Nel, Founder & Director,
South African Mass Animal Sterilisation Trust
Tel: +27 (0) 21 715 2054 | Cell: +27 (0) 84 778 1215
Email: samast@samast.co.za | www.samast.co.za
PUBLIC BENEFIT ORGINISATION NO: 930028769
TRUST REGISTRATION NUMBER: IT3310/2006