Meat industry expert says protocols must be followed for exporting livestock after CT cattle ship stink
About 19,000 cattle livestock travelled from Brazil through a live export vessel and was destined for Iraq but stopped at Cape Town Harbour to load food for the animals onboard.
The NSPCA said it was alerted to a vessel called the Al Kuwait carrying about 19,000 cattle that was travelling from Brazil to the Cape Town harbour to load food for animals onboard on 19 Feberuay 2024. Picture: Supplied/NSPCA
CAPE TOWN - The transportation of live animals by sea was thrust into the spotlight after a live export vessel, called the Al Kuwait, docked at Cape Town Harbour over the weekend, carrying about 19,000 cattle.
The livestock carrier travelled from Brazil and was destined for Iraq but stopped in Cape Town to load food for the animals onboard.
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The National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) initiated an inspection after receiving a tip-off and found the animals in poor and unhygienic conditions, having spent more than two weeks onboard the ship with a build-up of faeces and ammonia.
On Monday, a number of the animals had to be euthanised as a result, while a foul smell emanating from the vessel permeated over large parts of the Cape Town CBD and surrounding areas.
The executive director of Red Meat Industry Services, Dewald Olivier, said there were standards and protocols in place that need to be followed.
"We do export live cattle, but it is not a lot, and it is not that far. I think most of the cattle that we export only goes across the water to Mauritius. So, there's a standard by the World Organisation for Animal Health. However, what we also have in South Africa is our own protocol with regard to the export of live animals."
Olivier said South Africa exported live sheep to Kuwait and the protocols were developed in conjunction with government.
"It looks specifically at the welfare of the animals. For example, I can tell you that one of the issues that previously was a problem is the heat when travelling into those northern areas, and one of the requirements for the ship is that it must have a localised air conditioning unit so that it’s not so hot. So, there's a lot of things that we from the South African industry said that we would like to see."
The NSPCA approached the courts on several occasions since 2019 in a bid to put an end to the transportation of live animals by sea.
Meanwhile, another protest has been scheduled to take place along Nelson Mandela Boulevard later on Tuesday afternoon against the export and transport of live animals.